Criteria for inclusion in the CFFF-FCPMS memorial list and ceremony
INTRODUCTION:
The Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation will formally honour those firefighters who die in the line of duty. Their names will be kept in an accessible database on the CFFF-FCPMS website and engraved on the Canadian Firefighters Memorial in Ottawa. In order to be sure that correct names are recorded, the definition of a firefighter must be clear. A firefighter will be someone who is trained and formally hired or appointed to a legally organized department/brigade/company to perform the duties related to the fire service as specified below.
PROCESS OF VALIDATION CONSIDERATIONS:
A sub-committee of the CFFF-FCPMS Board of Directors (Line of Duty Death Committee) will review and decide on all applications for listing as a line of duty death.
A completed CFFF-FCPMS Firefighter LODD application form must be submittedfor each individual firefighter including all necessary supporting documentation. The application form will include all information needed for LODD determination. Fallen firefighter information for the website and family contact info will also be requested.
Items that will be considered for validation include the following:
- Letters of recognition from the authority having jurisdiction, the firefighters department or employer, and the firefighters association (as applicable).
- Official recognition by the Department of National Defence for military personnel.
- Official recognition by the provincial-territorial-First Nations body responsible for workers compensation.
- Media source material (i.e. newspaper article, photos, etc) that provide information relating to the application.
- Any other documents or material that may that provide information relating to the application.
- During review of the application, the CFFF LODD Committee may request additional information if it is
deemed necessary to validate the application.
Submissions will not be added to the official list on the website or monument nor will they be included in the Canadian Firefighter Memorial Ceremony until the application has been processed
2. To honour recognized LODDs properly, the Foundation will honour LODDs by calendar year with the ceremony for these occurring on the second Sunday in September of the following year. (e.g.: A line of duty death in 2005 will be honoured in Sept 2006) Therefore applications must be received by March 31 to be honoured at the September ceremony of that year. Those who miss the deadline will be honoured in the following year. All approved deaths will be included on the memorial list.
3. Regardless of approval date and due to logistical and financial limitations, only the families of those firefighters actively employed and not retired at their time of death occurring within 4 calendar years of the next memorial ceremony (example for the 2015 ceremony, death must have occurred between Jan 1st 2011 and December 31st, 2014) will be included in the presentation portion of the September memorial ceremony.
4. The CFFF LODD definition is for CFFF-FCPMS use only for determining inclusion in the CFFF memorial list and annual ceremony. This definition is for the use of the Foundation-Fondation only and is not intended to be used in determining eligibility for benefits, other memorial listings, or awards available from other organizations, government agencies or institutions. WCB-WSIB approval or denial does not automatically qualify or disqualify a firefighter for inclusion in the ceremony or on the memorial. The CFFF will review the inclusion criteria as needed to ensure only bona fide line of duty deaths are recognized.
SPECIFIC FIREFIGHTER DEFINITIONS:
5. A wildland firefighter will include all those specifically trained and employed to fight wildland fires, whether for any level of government or a private company contracted by the government, including pilots and air support personnel, and will be considered to have died in the line of duty if the death occurs:
a) for any reason while actively involved in firefighting operations or support of these operations in the fire area.
b) officially recognized in the CFFF-FCPMS Line of Duty Death process of validation.
c) while training in activities directly related to firefighting conducted by the employer or recognized training facility.
6. A volunteer/part time/paid on call firefighter will include all those with official membership in a volunteer fire department and will be considered to have died in the line of duty if the death occurs:
a) for any reason while responding to an incident, at the scene of an incident, or returning from an incident.
b) from an illness or accident directly related to firefighter duties officially recognized by the provincial/territorial/First Nations body responsible for workers compensation.
c) while training in activities directly related to firefighting conducted by the employer or recognized training facility.
7. A full time firefighter will include all those officially employed to conduct firefighter duties with a municipal or other government organized fire department and will be considered to have died in the line of duty if the death occurs:
a) for any reason while responding to an incident, at the scene of an incident, or returning from an incident.
b) officially recognized in the CFFF-FCPMS Line of Duty Death process of validation.
c) while training in activities directly related to firefighting conducted by the employer or recognized training facility.
8. A member of the Canadian Forces or a civilian employee of the Department of National Defence specifically trained, designated and employed as a firefighter will be considered to have died in the line of duty if the death occurs:
a) for any reason while responding to an emergency incident or actively involved in firefighting operations or returning from an incident while on duty (in Canada or abroad).
b) from an illness or accident directly related to firefighting or emergency response duties officially recognized by the DND for military personnel or by the provincial/territorial body responsible for workers compensation.
c) while training in activities directly related to firefighting or emergency response conducted by the employer or recognized training facility.
9. An industrial or private firefighter will be considered to have died in the line of duty if the death occurs:
a) while involved in firefighting, if their employer recognizes them as a member of an official industrial brigade.
b) officially recognized in the CFFF-FCPMS Line of Duty Death process of validation.
c) while training in activities directly related to firefighting conducted by the employer or recognized training facility.
