Who is eligible to apply?
The Honor Emergency Fund is a not-for-profit organization which has served the Fire Department since 1921. Since that time, the Fund has financially assisted thousands of Department employees, including active and retired Firefighters and their dependents and active civilian and EMS employees and their families, with the burden of costs due to most forms of medical and psychological needs (after any insurance or other benefit payments), select related areas, and personal hardship. The Fund exists for the “welfare and relief from want and distress arising from death, illness or injury” of members of the Fire Department and their dependents, including spouse, children, and occasionally parents.
Firefighters / Officers, active members and retirees may apply, as may their widows or disabled adult children. Members of the Emergency Medical Service and Civilian employees must be actively employed by the Department in order to be considered for assistance.
Areas for which the Fund may consider assistance:
Financial assistance from the Fund may be used for a range of qualified expenses, such as:
- Medical procedures such as surgery, physician care, anesthesia, in-patient / out-patient services, lab tests, excessive co-payments or deductibles.
- Home health care, childcare, and respite care services, if medically necessary and physician- or nurse-authorized.
- For Firefighters / Officers, the Fund provides monthly assistance grants to qualified adults or disabled individuals to assist them in meeting a significant financial shortfall, to enhance overall quality of life due to income and savings limitations, or to cover unexpected medical-related needs. Retirees, their spouses or widows, as well as disabled adult children of Firefighters are encouraged to apply.
- In certain situations, active Firefighters who are on medical leave and have substantially reduced income may qualify for a time-limited financial assistance grant. Former spouses may also apply, if not legally divorced from the Firefighter / Officer at the time of application.
- In some circumstances, active members of the Emergency Medical Service / Civilian Employees may qualify for monthly assistance grant consideration where they are without pay or have significantly reduced income due to a serious medical or emotional issue.
- Consequential budgeting difficulties must exist to be considered for this grant.
- Stipends for prescription medication that are not covered by insurance, or where benefits have been exhausted or are insufficient to cover the cost of the drugs.
- Speech, physical and occupational therapy.
- Specialized life-maintaining and life-enhancing equipment.
- Medically-necessary nutritional or dietary supplements.
- Psychotherapy and psychiatric services, both in-patient and out-patient.
- Prescribed therapeutic devices.
- Applied Behavioral Analysis or other treatment modalities that are recommended for special-needs children, such as autism, the learning disabled, and those with other physical or emotional difficulties.
- Assistance to meet the special needs or situations of the handicapped or disabled.
- Acupuncture, if performed by a licensed physician or a recognized specialist.
- Non-routine medically-related dental care.