The Spouse and Orphan’s Fund is a private death benefit fund for firefighters and those directly associated with your fire department (secretaries, commissioners, mechanics).  The purpose of the fund is “firefighters helping firefighters”.  Both career and volunteer firefighters are invited to be members of the fund.  The fund pays a benefit to the member’s designated beneficiary which includes spouse, child, parent, estate, trust or registered Washington State domestic partner of the member upon their death.  The benefit is $1.00 for each member of the fund at the time of notification of the member’s death with a maximum benefit of $1,750.00 and a minimum benefit of $1000.00.  The fund was started in the 1930’s as the Widows and Orphans fund and changed in 2000 to the current name to better reflect the diversity of membership...

Up to 350 people celebrated the return of a Christian-themed Christmas message on a fire district office reader board in Oakville this week. The sign board at Grays Harbor Fire District No. 1 sparked controversy after an anonymous complaint said the message reading “Unto Us a Savior is Born, Merry Christmas,” was inappropriate and a violation of the separation of church and state.
- PUB DATE: 12/17/2015 3:27:28 AM - SOURCE: Centralia Chronicle

Up to 350 people celebrated the return of a Christian-themed Christmas message on a fire district office reader board in Oakville this week. The sign board at Grays Harbor Fire District No. 1 sparked controversy after an anonymous complaint said the message reading “Unto Us a Savior is Born, Merry Christmas,” was inappropriate and a violation of the separation of church and state.
- PUB DATE: 12/17/2015 3:27:28 AM - SOURCE: Centralia Chronicle

Renewal of the Zadroga Act, legislation that provides health benefits for first responders who grew ill after the Sept. 11 attacks, has been included in the year-end tax and spending bill Congress is to consider later this week. An $8.1 billion measure to renew the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act will be included in a $1.
- PUB DATE: 12/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WABC-TV 7online.com

Kansas City police are investigating a fatal shooting, possibly self-inflicted, of a Kansas City firefighter at 34th and the Paseo, near a fire station. A resident of the area heard a gunshot, looked outside and saw the body between Kansas City Fire Station 17 and a residence to the south, police said.
- PUB DATE: 12/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Kansas City Star