Feds Agree to Recognize Fallen 9/11 EMT
January 15th, 2008 . by TexasFredNEW YORK (AP) - After a five-year fight, the U.S. government has dropped its effort to prevent a volunteer firefighter killed at the World Trade Center from receiving a federal death benefit for public safety officers who die on the job.
The decision is a belated victory for the family of Glenn Winuk, a longtime member of the Jericho Volunteer Fire Department who rushed to the burning towers on Sept. 11, 2001, to tend to victims of the terrorist attack.
Winuk, 40, was working at his Manhattan law office the morning of the attacks, but he grabbed a medical bag and raced to pitch in with the rescue effort. He died when the skyscrapers collapsed; when his body was found in the rubble, months later, he was wearing surgical gloves and a stethoscope.
The Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance fought his family’s effort to collect a $250,000 payment due to police officers, firefighters and other government emergency workers killed in the line of duty.
The agency argued that the benefit was intended only for active-duty public safety officers, and that Winuk didn’t qualify because he hadn’t been on regular duty with his volunteer department on Long Island since 1998.
Full Story Here:
Feds Agree to Recognize Fallen 9/11 EMT
It’s about time… Chalk one up for the good guys…
Yes, I am really glad this was settled and very happy that the family is going to finally get some closure and compensation, I feel they deserve it, but here’s what seriously pisses me off, our government will spend BILLIONS to prop up Islamic warlords in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, we spend many more BILLIONS to fight hunger and AIDS in Africa, yet we have hunger and AIDS here, we give BILLIONS of dollars to other nations, nations that would shoot us down like dogs if they got the opportunity, but the Feds nitpick over $250K for the family of a REAL American hero that gave his life while attempting to save those of others…
Am I the only one that sees the shame in this??
Trackback URL:
http://texasfred.net/archives/936/trackback/
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
No you’re not Fred. The fact that this family had to fight this long is a disgrace. Someone should be hanging their head in shame.
You are right on with this one, too. How many millions of dollars were paid out to fraudulent claims for 9/11 “victims” and this family has to even ASK for the settlement?
I think the department better get some new stationary; it is the Department of INJUSTICE. Shame, shame, shame on whoever has caused this additional insult to a true hero.
You are so right on with this one Fred.
It’s a shame they had to go though this, it’s seams par for the course these days.
Those who did nothing, but lost the life of a loved one on that terrible day got millions. This family who lost a love on do to selfless acts of bravery, while helping others, had to endure this?
I am very ashamed.
I am also sorry that I was not aware sooner then this moment so that we could have started an effort on their behalf.
So that means, the guy that donned his former military cammies, drove HUNDREDS OF MILES to the WTC, passed cop and fire lines then FOUND some LIVE COPS in the WTC rubble — if HE’D been killed, we would have stiffed HIS family?? Because he was a WARRIOR and a PATRIOT?
BZ
No, sir! You are not alone.