"Lighting the Way"

Representatives of the Georgia Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Georgia Fire Chief’s Association, Georgia Association of Firefighters and the Police Benevolence Association, join Senator Bruce Thompson and Governor Brian Kemp as he signs the new Georgia Indemnification Bill into law. 

SB60 increases the death benefit from $150,000 to $175,000 and changes the current criteria to mirror that of the Federal PSOB Benefit. This change will increase the coverage for firefighters in certain situations and include law enforcement and EMS in coverage they did not previously have.

SB60, authored by Senator Bruce Thompson, has been a priority for Georgia’s fire service for several years. The effort gained momentum in 2020 when the fire service teamed up with the Georgia Police Chief’s and Georgia’s Sheriff’s Association but did not endure the COVID19 shortened legislative session.

Georgia’s Indemnification Law was originally enacted in 1975 and provides benefits for the surviving family members of Georgia’s Public Safety Officers killed in the Line-of-Duty.

 The Georgia Fallen Firefighters Foundation was born out of the Georgia Local Assistance State Team (L.A.S.T.).  While many states have traditional L.A.S.T. teams, Georgia's team had expanded beyond the traditional teams service capabilities in the provision of services to departments and families who have suffered a LODD.  Officially beginning business December 1, 2011 the foundation was formed by three of the Georgia L.A.S.T. original founding members; Dennis Thayer, Ronnie Payne and David Bradley.