Securing your family’s future and planning now for your later years is a must. Your Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association is here to help.
As a member you qualify for a one-time reimbursement benefit toward getting your estate plan done. Surviving spouses qualify for their own benefit as well.
Relief Association Secretary and retired LAFD Captain Andy Kuljis explains other personalized services provided, “When we receive a call from a family stating a member passed away we ask if they have sufficient resources to handle the situation. I generally ask them a series of questions, such as ‘have you got a mortuary?’ If they don’t, I tell them I can recommend one at the most modest price available.”
The Relief also supports the LAFD Chaplains, who offer emotional support during this time of loss. Andy says the Relief helps families deal with necessary notifications.
“We notify the pension department, we notify the union, we notify all of the retired fire and police, everyone that would be concerned with that members passing.”
Members utilize the Relief web site to publish funeral information. And, Andy says, “I have an email system that reaches almost 2,000 members,” for those who wish to be included.
The Relief also flies a flag over the member’s last assignment and places it in a special case for the family.
Those needing financial assistance count on the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemen’s Fund. Recognizing the tradition of firefighters helping firefighters, some members graciously include a donation to the charity in their trust or will. Others make the charity the benefactor of a life insurance policy or secondary retirement plan.
Andy values this generosity and says all members should consider it. “If you are doing your estate planning you may just designate a little bit to your Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemen’s Fund,” he says.
Andy points out that once you retire, membership dues is lower, which makes it easy to increase your reoccurring, automatic payroll donations or add one if you are not currently contributing in this manner. Of course, payroll donations always are an option for active duty members too.
“This machine needs oil. You’ve got to provide funds to run this program. There is no other organization anywhere I know of which rivals the Relief Association and what it does for its members, so we have to perpetuate it. This is one way of doing it.”
“We tell our members repeatedly,” Andy says, “tell your family if anything ever happens to you, call the Relief Association and we always respond.”
For details about the estate planning benefit, click here. For adding or increasing payroll donations call Member Services at (323) 259-5222 or (323) 259-5223. To report a Death, fill out this form and to reach Andy Kuljis call (323)259-5224 or email akuljis@lafra.org
By Marlene Casillas