Funerals / LODD

Section 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE

110.29 Funeral / LODD

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this policy is to uphold the dignity of a firefighter related death in an appropriate manner based on the following circumstances: Line of Duty Death, Off-Duty Death, Current or Past Member’s Death, Affiliate of the Department Death, Non-Fire Fighting Individual Honor by the Department.

DEFINITIONS:

Circumstances

• Type 1 - Line of Duty Death – Any on-duty fire personnel who suffers a trauma or series of events that causes rapid deterioration from a healthy state to death.
• Type 2 - Line of Duty Death – Any on-duty fire personnel who suffers series of events that causes gradual deterioration from a healthy state to death.
• Type 3 - Off-Duty Incident Death – Any off-duty incidents involving a trauma or a series of events to fire personnel that causes a rapid or gradual deterioration from a healthy state to death.
• Type 4 - Current or Past Member’s Death – A member or honorary member of the department or volunteer association who is currently active or who has retired in good standing and suffers an event or series of events that results in his or her death.
• Type 5 - Affiliate of the Department – An individual who has served in some capacity with the department with a job function and does not meet any of the above criteria, but suffers an event or series of events that results in his or her death.
• Type 6 - Non-Fire Firefighting Individual Honored by the Department – A non-firefighting individual who through employment, professional or emotional ties suffers an event or series of events that result in his or her death. This may be applied to an individual the department wishes to pay a special tribute to for their contribution to the department and/or fire service. This may also be used when an immediate relative of a department member dies.

Formal Funeral Service – Type 1 or 2

• This type of service includes the use of apparatus, pallbearers, an Honor Guard, and a funeral detail composed of fire personnel in Class A uniforms. Other options include: badge shrouds, bagpipers, a bell service, a bugler, crossed ladders, a fire engine caisson, and station/vehicle bunting.

Semi-Formal Funeral Service - Type 3, 4, or 5

• This type of service includes the use of pallbearers, Honor Guard (optional), and a funeral detail composed of fire personnel in Class A uniforms. Other options include: badge shrouds, a bell service, an honor guard, and station/vehicle bunting.

Non-Formal Funeral Service – Type 6

• This type of service includes the use of a funeral detail of fire personnel in Class A uniforms at the discretion of the Fire Chief, but certain honors will not be displayed. One other option may include: an honor guard (at the discretion of the Fire Chief for certain circumstances).

Private Service

• This is a service closed to any outside participation with the exception of the immediate family. Usually this type of service is at the request of the family.

PREPARATIONS; JOB RESPONSIBILITIES; INITIAL ACTIONS; DESCRIPTION OF FUNERAL OPTIONS; APPENDICIES:

• For the most current information please reference:

http://www.nvfc.org/hot-topics/funeral-procedures

US FLAG CODE:

• For the most current information please reference:

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html