By Beth Sergent, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Firefighters and police officers are brotherhoods that intersect when the public calls, and recently, when there’s a call for change in the law regarding partial-disability benefits.
“I see zero drawbacks with this law [House Bill 5188],” Cpt. Steve McCormick of the Huntington Fire Department said. House Bill 5188 received unanimous support during this year’s regular session. After passing the full Legislature, it was signed by Gov. Jim Justice, going into effect June 6.
McCormick is also president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 289 — which represents the HFD firefighters — and sits on the advisory board of the Professional Fire Fighters of West Virginia (PFFWV).
Beyond the theoretical language of the new law are walking, talking reasons for it, many wearing uniforms who are sworn to protect the public but up until recently, had limited protections.
“We had a 30-year-old man that had put in five or six years of service here, raising a family and he just gets basically forced out of the profession he wanted to be in … because he had an injury doing the job. It just makes sense that we should take care of him… he has another job now,” McCormick said, about the need for those partial-disability benefits extended to firefighters and municipal police officers.
How the bill came to pass
“We’re one of those occupations that unfortunately people sometimes forget about, until they need us. Every year we have to go down there [to the state Capitol, during the legislative session] and remind [legislators] that we’re still here, and still trying to get some benefits and compensation,” Jayson Nicewarner, secretary/treasurer of the PFFWV, said.
