An upstate New York Volunteer Fireman's widow has been waiting three years to collect benefits while the local county government continues to appeal the ruling that granted her death benefits from the Line-of-Duty death of her husband.
Fireman Guy Pollard was operating at a small structural fire as a fireman for the Apalachin, NY, Fire Department, near Binghamton, when a heart attack killed him at the scene. Tioga County appealed the Workers' Compensation ruling allowing Mrs. Pollard to collect burial costs as well as $400 a week, according to the September 28th edition of NY TIMES. The county government continues to appeal the ruling, based on the idea that Fireman Pollard was under no stress while operating as the driver and pump operator of the first due engine company, and that the fire was of no significance. The county is attempting to also muddy the waters of this case by presenting technical reports on firemen's deaths in order to avoid paying the money.
The county has appealed two previous rulings on this case, and lost in both. They are in the process of appealing to the Appellate Division of the NYS Supreme Court, as well as to the full Workers' Compensation Board.
Needless to say, this has irked local volunteer firemen, and, as well it should! A Chief of another Volly Department in the area has indicated that there may be demonstrations in order to show the county politicians how they feel about this callous attitude toward the firefighters. "We're not pulling any punches," said Chief Kevin Ford of the Campville, NY, FD.
Ironically, we have seen locally what political influence on a department can cause here in NYC. Take, for instance, the very low turnout for the filing of the NYPD test. Don't these politicians in Tioga County know how a ruling such as the one they are seeking will affect recruitment of unpaid, volunteer firemen...that the vollies' families will be subject to the whims of politicians if they should be killed or seriously injured while providing a very necessary service?
Apparently not, nor do they care.
