STATE'S FIREMEN-EMS PERSONNEL COULD GET $50,000 DEATH BENEFIT

(02/02/2007)

At a time when membership in volunteer fire departments and other emergency medical services continue to drop, the WV Legislature is pushing to pass the "Ghent Bill." They're the folks who come out to virtually every crisis or problem known to man, save lives and protect property. It would be a $50,000 state-paid death benefit for the families of firefighters and emergency medical service personnel killed in the line of duty. Delegate Melvin Kessler, D-Raleigh, hopes he can make the legislation retroactive to cover the victims of Tuesday's propane explosion in Ghent. Ghent volunteer firefighters Craig Lawrence Dorsey, 24, and Frederick Allen Burroughs, 51, were two of the four people killed in the explosion. Kessler said while $50,000 is not a lot of money, he understands how it could help. "I'm sure [the families] can use it," he said. "One left a 5-year-old child and they have funeral expenses. Similar legislation has been proposed, but has never had enough support. The Grantsville VFD is seeking new members, having an open house Saturday to answer questions and encourage area people to join.

Hur Herald ®from Sunny Cal The information on these pages, to the extent the law allows, remains the exclusive property of Bob Weaver and Dianne Weaver The Hur Herald. All information may be freely used but must not be sold or used in any type of commercial endeavor, or used on any web site without the express permission of the owners ©Bob and Dianne Weaver, The Hur Herald, 1999, 2000, 2001