Second Edition Funeral Procedures for Firefighters NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUncIL Table of contents Introduction 3 Description of Funeral Options 18 Honor Guards Fire Department Funerals 4 Pallbearers Circumstances that Entitle a Fire Department Funeral Transportation Meals Types of Funeral Services 5 Child Care Procession Formal Funeral Service Flower Apparatus Semi-Formal Funeral Service Last Alarm Service Non-Formal Funeral Service Musical Arrangements Private Service Readings Eulogy Preparations 6 Crossed Aerial Ladders Static Equipment Display of Outside Equipment Personal Information Sheets Burial in Uniform Photographs Closed Casket Resumes Walk Through Department Identification Cards Refreshments or Post Services Reception Employee Benefits Bunting Uniform for Burial Half Staff Flag Protocol Inventory of Necessary Equipment for Funeral Badge Shrouding Funeral Director Florists Appendix A 21 National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Local Assistance State Team Sample Personal Information Sheet Job Responsibilities 8 Appendix B 22 Chaplain Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program Survivor Action Officer Family Liaison Officer Appendix C 23 Funeral Officer Honor Guard Military Standards and Flag Folding Procedures Honorary Pallbearers Active Pallbearers Appendix D 27 Funeral Detail Sample Readings for Funeral Services Procession Officer Service Officer Appendix E 32 Cemetery Officer Transportation Officer Preparing a Eulogy Initial Actions 15 Appendix F 33 Initial Roles of Personnel Suggested Funeral Formations Procedures for Notification Appendix G 37 Involving Your Fire Corps Team or Auxiliary Appendix H 38 Additional Resources This project supported by Cooperative Agreement 2009-RB-62-0149 between the National Volunteer Fire Council and the United States Fire Administration. Introduction Firefighting continues to be one of the nation’s need to be altered or omitted depending on the most hazardous professions. Approximately 100 department’s particular situation and size. In ad- firefighters die in the line-of-duty each year in the dition, the member’s ethnic or religious affiliation United States. It is only fitting, given the heroic may dictate certain customs. It is important that efforts of fire service personnel that they be given the organizer of the funeral be sensitive to the the final respect they deserve. particular situation and to the wishes of the fam- ily or household involved. Many volunteer fire departments do not have funeral procedures in place due to time restric- This manual is arranged in accordance with the tions. When a death occurs, departments are sequence of a funeral’s events and describes in often unprepared to navigate the complexities detail the job responsibilities of each person as- of a fire service funeral. This manual not only signed to handle particular aspects of the funeral. addresses the funeral itself, but also other activi- After a department reviews this manual and ties in connection with a firefighter fatality, e g., decides which tasks and assignments it wants investigation of the death, the state and federal to include in its own formal funeral procedures, it fire agencies to notify, and how to navigate the can adopt or adapt the relevant guidelines here process of collecting benefits. as a checklist to follow in the event of a mem- ber’s death. This resource manual is intended as a guide, and while the basic procedures probably are accept- The NVFC would like to thank the National Fallen able for all types of firefighters, some ideas will Firefighters Foundation; The Federation of Fire Service Chaplains; and the Kentucky Firefighters Association for their assistance in the revision of this guide. Fire Department Funerals Circumstances that Entitle a Fire Department Funeral There are six circumstances that generally entitle a fire department member or an individual affiliated with a department to receive a fire service funeral. The circumstance categories are used by the depart- ment to decide whom it wishes to honor with a depart- ment funeral and the type of funeral appropriate. The six categories are: > Type 1 - Line-of-Duty Death Any on-duty fire personnel who suffers a trauma or series of events that causes rapid deterioration from a healthy state to death. > Type 2 - Line-of-Duty Death Any on-duty fire personnel who suffers a series of events causing a gradual deterioration from a healthy state to death. > Type 3 - Off-Duty Incident Death Any off-duty incident involving a trauma or a series of events to fire personnel that causes a rapid or gradual deterioration from a healthy state to death. The following categories are optional and should be decided by department policy: > Type 4 - Current or Past Member’s Death A member or honorary member of the department or > Type 6 - Non-Fire Fighting Individual Honored by the volunteer association who is currently active or who Department has retired in good standing and suffers an event or A non-firefighting individual who through employ- series of events that results in his or her death. ment, volunteer association, professional or emo- > Type 5 - Affiliate of the Department tional ties suffers an event or series of events that results in his or her death. This may be applied to An individual who has served in some capacity with an individual the department or volunteer association the department, such as a Commissioner, Chief, wishes to pay a special tribute to for their contribu- Dispatcher, or other job function and does not meet for Firefighters tion to the department and/or fire service. This may any of the above criteria, but suffers an event or series also be used when an immediate relative of a depart- of events that results in his or her death. ment member dies. Funeral Procedures Funeral 4 NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUncIL Types of Funeral Services Generally, there are four types of funeral services, as described below. These descriptions should serve as general guidelines only and may be adapted to fit each individual situation. It is most important to follow the family’s wishes and give full respect to their expressed concerns. Formal Funeral Service This type of service includes the use of apparatus, pallbearers, a color guard (optional), and a funeral detail composed of fire personnel in Class A uniforms. Other options include: badge shrouds, bagpipers, a bell service, a bugler, crossed ladders, a fire engine caisson, an honor guard, and station/vehicle bunting. This type of honor is usually reserved for a line-of-duty death. (Circumstance Types 1 and 2) Semi-Formal Service This type of service includes the use of pallbearers, color guard (optional), and a funeral detail composed of fire personnel in Class A uniforms. Other options include: badge shrouds, a bell service, an honor guard, and station/vehicle bunting. This type of honor is usually reserved for an off-duty death of a current member or an affiliate. (Circumstance Types 3, 4, and 5) Non-Formal Service This type of service includes the use of a funeral detail of fire personnel in Class A uniforms. Other options include: badge shrouds, a bell service, an honor guard, and station bunting. This type of honor is usually reserved for any non-firefighting personnel, a retired member or affiliate of the department or Volunteer Association or an immediate relative of a department member. Also included in this category would be an in- dividual the department or volunteer association wishes to recognize for their contributions. (Circumstance Type 6) Private Service This is a service closed to any outside participation with for Firefighters the exception of the immediate family. Usually this type of service is at the request of the family. Funeral Procedures Funeral 5 NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUncIL Preparations Being prepared for a funeral in the event of a death of a member or affiliate of the department can provide the members of the department as well as the surviving fam- ily members with emotional support by making it pos- sible to smoothly and successfully handle the numerous Employee Benefits details that will arise. In addition to having selected an Every department should be familiar with items that need to be closed out in the event of a death. The sur- overall procedure for funerals (such as described here), viving spouse may look to the department for assistance the following are suggested as preparations that can be with these matters. Some of these items are: 1) autopsy made at any time and are recommended by the depart- report; 2) final paycheck; 3) outstanding debts; 4) insur- ance policies; 5) Social Security (survivor’s benefits); 6) ments who use them. special benefits (vacation pay, holiday/personal days’ pay); 7) Association benefits; 8) Federal death benefits Personal Information Sheets (Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB); see Appendix It is suggested that each member of the department B); and 9) continuation of medical coverage for the complete a preplan or personal information sheet for surviving spouse and dependents. use in case of death. This is an inventory of informa- tion designed to organize the member’s personal affairs. Uniform for Burial See Appendix A. Annual updates are encouraged. This Many departments will provide a uniform for burial. information will help the surviving family and the de- Whether a person wishes to be buried in uniform partment to be aware of the individual’s desires and the should be clearly expressed in the personal information location of important documents. Each member should sheet or by the surviving family. See Appendix H. keep this information in a semi-private place where it is readily available and notify loved ones that it exists Inventory of Necessary Equipment for Funeral and where it will be kept. A sealed copy should be kept The following is a list of supplies that may be needed in the member’s fire department personnel file, to be during a funeral service and/or mourning period.