VIDEO: A fund that provides financial support to the families of fallen police officers has been expanded to include career and volunteer firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill expanding and renaming the Fallen Officer Fund to the Fallen Hero Fund Thursday. The legislation also allows surviving family members to stay on the first responderโs health insurance for up to five years. The Fallen Hero Fund provides a one-time payment of $100,000 to surviving family members. The law goes into effect July 1.
โThis bill provides some support to them, it is not compensation,” Chief John Alston with the New Haven Fire Department said. “It shows that we as a community, we care for the people who care for us. Nobody goes to work thinking theyโre not going to come home that night.โ This fund was first created after two Bristol police officers were killed in an ambush in 2022. Payments have gone out to two other families following the deaths of a state trooper and a Hartford police officer. Colonel Daniel Loughman with Connecticut State Police said other first responders should receive the same level of support.
