Aerial Firefighter Relief Act of 2005

H.R. 1232, the Aerial Firefighter Relief Act of 2005, seeks to expand federal death and disability benefits to include aerial firefighters who work under contract for the U.S. Forest Service or the Department of the Interior. Under this legislation, these private-sector pilots and crew members would become eligible for the same Public Safety Officers' Benefits typically reserved for government employees if they are killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The bill aims to provide financial security to the families of those performing high-risk wildfire suppression tasks that are essential to protecting public lands and communities.