In WW2, firefighters were hailed as 'heroes with grimy faces' as they battled the massive fires of the Blitz. But, when they or their families needed help they were often cast aside.
The article from 1941 which appeared in the Daily Mirror tells the terrible story of how the families of four firefighters, killed in the line of duty, were left destitute after the government cut their pay on they day they were killed.
The heartlessness of the state knew no bounds.
The bodies of firefighters were often delivered to their families in sacks on the back of a council lorry.
Their colleagues tried to give them a heroes funeral, but they were often buried together because families couldn't afford individual graves. Families were left behind in poverty as they waited months for small pension payments.
This disregard by the state led to the Fire Brigades Union setting up a special fund to support family members if a firefighter was killed or seriously injured. The fund still exists today and is called the 'Accident, Injury and Death Benefit Fund'.
The premise is simple: once a month every FBU member contributes a small sum to a special fund. If the worst happens, or a member is seriously injured, then the fund is there to help them and their family.
Simple, effective and, very often, much needed.
If you're an FBU member, make sure you're in the fund.
It does something that's at the heart of our union values - helping each other out when needed.
More details here: https://www.fbu.org.uk/accident-and-injury-fund
