By Nicole Hutcheson, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
TAMPA -— The families of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty will get up to $100,000 under a new county program.
Hillsborough County commissioners unanimously approved the First Responders Fallen Heroes Fund on Wednesday.
"We're looking at providing immediate sustenance for surviving families to honor the sacrifice their loved one has made for our community," said Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who spearheaded the creation of the fund.
Beckner is particularly interested in quickly making money available to families of first responders who are killed.
"It can sometimes take 45 to 60 days before people even see a check, especially with insurance policies," Beckner said.
Police officers, firefighters and paramedics in the county and its three cities would be eligible for the benefit.
The county will allocate $200,000 to establish the fund. The money would come from a reserve fund that is normally used for emergencies. Private funds also will be raised for the program, and county employees will be able to have contributions deducted from their paychecks for the fund. County officials are still waiting to hear from officials with Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City about their level of contribution.
Nicole Hutcheson can be reached at nhutcheson@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3405.