To recognize his work on behalf of firefighters and first responders, Rep. Bob Etheridge (N.C.) has been named Legislator of the Year by the Congressional Fire Services Institute. Etheridge, who authored the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act, will receive the award May 5 at the 16th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, D.C. “We would not have prevailed were it not for the passion, dedication and commitment of Congressman Etheridge,” says CFSI Executive Director Bill Webb.

First sworn in to Congress in 1996, Etheridge currently serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the Select Committee on Homeland Security and is the co-chair of the Democratic Caucus' Education Task Force.

How did you get involved with the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act?

A constituent of mine, Mike Williams, works as a volunteer firefighter in my home county and also works in the state fire marshal's office. He had seen many applications for survivor benefits come through the office over the years from the families of firefighters who had died of heart attacks or strokes. Finally, when a buddy of his died of a heart attack on duty and his family was denied federal survivor benefits, it was just too much to take.

Mike wrote a letter to me, alerting me to the problem and asking me for help. My staff and I took a hard look at it, did the research and found that there was a real problem. We found that more than half of firefighter deaths are caused from heart attack or stroke, and that almost none of those deaths were being ruled as eligible for federal benefits. A tiny loophole in the law was denying many families the benefits they were due.

I was fiercely determined to pass Hometown Heroes because I wanted to honor the memory of those who gave their lives protecting our communities. I worked on behalf of the families whose fathers, sons, wives and mothers died in the line of duty. Our firefighters truly are our hometown heroes; each and every day without fail they put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

What was the biggest challenge in passing or instituting the act?

The biggest challenge was crafting legislative language that members of the Judiciary Committee; the Department of Justice; and fire, police and emergency groups could agree on, and building a broad bipartisan coalition in support of the legislation. The Congressional Fire Services Institute and all the fire groups did an excellent job of advocating on behalf of the legislation and getting the word out. Changing bureaucracy is always difficult, and this was no different.

Do you envision that this act will expand to include other work-related diseases such as Hepatitis C or cancer?

Knowing how difficult it was to pass this piece of legislation, I think it would take a good bit of time and a lot of hard work. It also may be hard to establish a direct link between the job and the ailment. Congress and CFSI will continue to work for research into the hazards of firefighting and policies needed to lessen those hazards.

You also were appointed to the House Select Committee on Homeland Security. Where is the fire service going to end up when all this Homeland Security money shakes out?

I think the fire service and all first responders have to end up at the top of the barrel. Our first responders have to have the resources to get the job done. After all, firefighters have been protecting the homeland for centuries. In an emergency, the phone doesn't ring in Washington, it rings at the local firehouse or local police station.

I think the increased focus on homeland security is good for the nation. I think it has made us more aware of the risks that exist and more focused on prevention. But we can't forget our first responders in the guise of homeland security. Basic fire and rescue capabilities are even more important today than they were before 9/11.