Jared Lloyd Act Unanimously Adopted

Law now named in honor of fallen Firefighter has been expanded to include Volunteer Firefighters  and Members Of EMS, Auxiliary Police, HazMat and Technical Rescue Teams

Rockland County legislators have voted unanimously to expand a law to benefit additional volunteers, as well as their survivors, and to rename the legislation in honor of fallen firefighter Jared Lloyd.

“Jared made the supreme sacrifice as he carried out his firefighting duties and naming this law after him is the right thing to do,” said Rockland County Legislator Paul Cleary, who is also chair of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee.

Previously referred to as the Rockland County Volunteer Benefit Act and more limited in its scope, the new law has been designated the Jared Lloyd Rockland County Volunteer Benefit Act, or simply, the Jared Lloyd Act.

The law has been expanded to not only recognize the line of duty loss of volunteer firefighters, EMS and Auxiliary Police Officers, but also members of Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue Teams.

The new law also provides financial assistance to survivors versus dependents to further honor a volunteer’s line of duty death, including a child who may not yet have been born at the time of the volunteer’s death.

Legislator Cleary said the law recognizes the importance of the volunteers and their service to the overall community and provides financial assistance to survivors to honor their loved ones’ commitment and sacrifice.

He was originally prompted to act, in part, after seeing announcements for fundraisers such as Go Fund Me campaigns to help deceased volunteers’ families pay their bills. He said he was “shocked and appalled that the families of volunteers who put their lives on the line for the community were left struggling – often greatly – because the main bread winner had died in service to their neighbors.”

Legislator Cleary sought the input of the firefighting, emergency medical services and auxiliary police communities, along with the County Executive’s Office.

Spring Valley Volunteer Firefighter 2nd Lieutenant Lloyd, 35, died while in the process of checking that all residents had been rescued from the Evergreen Court Home for Adults, a nursing home in Spring Valley. Thanks to the heroic efforts of Firefighter Lloyd and additional rescuers, 112 people were saved. One resident, Oliver Hueston, 79, died in the March 23, 2021, blaze.

Among those offering input for the new version of the law was Frank Bifulco, Chairman of the Rockland County Fire Advisory Board, and Howard Gerber and George Cich, also of the Fire Advisory Board, and County government staff.

The Jared Lloyd Act defines what a line of duty death is, and who is eligible to receive a grant. The benefit payable to all beneficiaries of a single volunteer is capped at $1 million and will be paid directly to each beneficiary. Each payment will be 10 percent of the total due to each beneficiary, with payments disbursed annually for up to 10 years.

  Jared L