FAQs

Q: Don’t most police & fire departments have awards?
A: Yes, but they are not standardized. This lack of standardization makes them unrecognizable except by a small number of people.

Q: DOJ already has an existing program (the Medal of Valor). Why don’t you expand their program?
A: There are several reasons to create the Institute of Heraldry rather than expand the DOJ program. Firefighters fall under DHS not DOJ, and paramedics do not fall under any federal authority. If the feds get involved then it will purchase the medals using federal contracting laws and we cannot fund the Homeland Heroes fund. If DOJ gets involved then it will take years longer- if it ever actually gets done- because federal employees are not allowed to create new programs without congressional authorization, and congress will not create a huge new federal program in this political climate. Most importantly, we want this program to be controlled by responders not bureaucrats. They do not understand our organizational cultures and traditions.

Q: Who will make the medals?
A: The Institute of Heraldry will contract with Elwyn Industries to employ people with disabilities to handle the program’s logistics.

Q: Who can recommend a first responder for an award?
A: Anyone can make the recommendation for an award. It is the responsibility of any individual having personal knowledge of a valorous act, outstanding achievement, or remarkable service believed to warrant the award of a decoration, to submit a formal recommendation into the uniformed public safety command channels for consideration. There is a requirement to perform a timely review of all recommendations. Failure to perform this review is considered dereliction of duty and should result in personnel action. It is preferred that the recommendations be in writing, but verbal recommendations will also be accepted as the exception. Anonymous recommendations will not be entertained. The tradition does not condone self-recognition; therefore, a person may not recommend himself/herself for an award.

Q: Who approves the awards?
A: The first review is the county level. A panel of five people will address every recommendation. This panel will have representation of the fire service, law enforcement, EMS and the county emergency manager plus one civilian. All county level awards will be audited at the state level by a similar panel. The state panel can upgrade awards, and can make recommendations for federal awards.

Q: What criteria are there for the different awards?
A: There are two types of awards. All of the awards are given for service above and beyond the call of duty. Half of the awards are for service during emergency responses. These are called the Operational Awards and they include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Franklin Medal (equivalent to the Purple Heart). The other awards are for exceptional service in support of the life-saving mission.

Q: Who determines eligibility for the Medal of Valor for First Responders and who gives it?
A: The award is sponsored by the Department of Justice. It is the result of the “Public Safety Medal of Valor Act of 2001”. There is a federally appointed review board, and the presentation is done by the Attorney General and the Vice President. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjASvKFObZo When we think of 911 responders, our tendency is to think Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  The fact is that law enforcement actually falls under the Department of Justice (DOJ), and DOJ has been around a lot longer.

Q: Does DHS have any medals or awards?
A: Yes. When the US Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), their highest level awards became DHS awards.  Their highest Coast Guard specific award is the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal.

This decoration was Originally established as the Transportation Distinguished Service Medal by Executive Order 12824 signed by President George H.W. Bush on December 7, 1992, under his authority as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. On February 28, 2003, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13286. This action rendered the Transportation Distinguished Service Medal obsolete and replaced it with a new Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security.

Q: Are there other funds for First Responders?
A: Yes, but there aren’t many. There is a fund California and there is the Hero Scholarship in Philadelphia, and National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund http://www.nleomf.org/memorial/ and the Public Safety Officers Benefit. Most of the fundraising happens locally, and it occurs after the line of duty death.

Q: Do these awards make first responders more like the military?
A: No, they do not. First responders have paramilitary organizational structures because the mission requires decisive command and control. These awards emphasize the first responders’ distinct organizational cultures and traditions.

Q: All first responders will be receiving the Homeland Security Service Medal. Doesn’t that undermine the value of the awards like the soccer trophies for participation?
A: No. The Homeland Security Service Medal signifies a commitment to the mission of all first responders, to save lives and protect property. It is earned by a combination of willingness to sacrifice their lives for people they have not met. Recipients must have achieved competency in one of the three disciplines: law enforcement, fire service, or emergency medical services.They must be credentialed. They must also have provided direct participation during the crisis phase of an emergency response.

Q: What is above and beyond the call of duty?
A: The term “above and beyond the call of duty” means exercise of a voluntary course of action the omission of which would not justly subject the individual to censure for failure in the performance of duty and neither would not reasonably be customarily considered an act of omission of a duty to act &/or rescue, nor would it be considered negligent. It includes acceptance of existing danger or extraordinary responsibilities with praiseworthy fortitude and exemplary courage. In its highest degrees it involves the voluntary acceptance of additional dangers and risk of life.

Q: What is bravery?
A: The term “bravery” means quality or state showing courage. It is a level of conduct which is expected of First Responders

Q: What is courage?
A: The term “courage” means the strength of mind capable of overcoming whatever threatens the attainment of the greatest good which becomes the foundation of valorous acts.

Q: What is heroism?
A: The term “heroism” means acts by an individual engaged in a life-saving mission which involve exposure to personal risk due to imminent or present operational hazards.

Q: What is valor?
A: The term “valor” means heroism performed in the service of a lifesaving mission and during an emergent phase of a 911 response where lives and property are at risk.

Q: What is intrepidity?
A: The term intrepidity means a combination of boldness and fearlessness. It is courage in action.

Q: What is gallantry?
A: The term gallantry means exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger. It is the hallmark quality of heroism.

Q: What is a hero?
A: A hero is a person who has a noble qualities including courage and has distinguished themselves with actions that are the model of valor, intrepidity, and gallantry.

Q: What is “direct participation?”
A: The term “direct participation” means hands on” activity at the site or sites of a 911 response or other disaster response operation. The individual must be physically present at the designated location must have contributed to and positively influenced the response

Q: What is the duty to act?
A: The term “duty to act” means the expectation of timely and decisive performance of an American First Responder when acting as an agent of the jurisdiction having authority in response to a call for assistance involving the potential for loss of life, the protection of property, or any other real or perceived emergency. The duty to act requires that a First Responder take necessary action to prevent harm to another party or the general public. A breach of this duty to act results in liability.

Q: What is the duty to rescue?
A: The term “duty to rescue” means the obligation of agents of the jurisdiction having authority (JHA) to the public to render assistance to the person or persons whose life is in peril regardless of the causes, culpability or precipitating events. Acts of heroism, valor and gallantry involve risking the rescuer’s life to save another person’s life. These acts include placing the rescuer’s life in jeopardy to decrease the scope and severity of the disaster. For this purpose, these acts are considered rescues.

The First Responders course of action is determined by an assessment of benefits and risks.  Frequently, the risks are inherent to making the resuce, and can not be completely avoided.  This basis of assessment (BOA) occurs in fluid and dynamic environments where conditions may deteriorate and risk may increase with the passage of time. The basis of assessment would lead a reasonable rescuer to recognize that a worsening outcome (for life &/or property) is imminent.  These assessments are based on a combination of training, equipment, education, subject matter expertise and personal experience.

For our purposes, the definition of the duty to rescue shall be functionally expanded to encompass the operational implications of the life-saving mission of law enforcement. The definition shall include a duty to provide a measured and proportional response to engage and neutralize a credible threat in the defense of life.

While exceedingly risk tolerant, the determined coarse of action (COA) must be reasonable and appropriate for the situation, and to be worthy of acclaim it must be performed beyond the requirement of the exercise of ordinary care. Ordinary care is the care that a reasonable man would exercise under the circumstances, and it is the legal standard. These acts shall not be grossly negligent, and shall not involve reckless, wanton or willful acts of misconduct. Threat assessments and risk analysis that determine that there isn’t a high probability of saving the victim’s life – results in relief from the requirements of the duty to rescue.   Because of the significant increase in the risk to the rescuer, there is no affirmative requirement implied or stated in the duty to rescue.

If there is a reasonable liklihood that the rescue can be made (BOA), and lives saved (COA), and the actions involve a significantly increased risk to the life of the rescuer, and the rescuers choose to attempt the rescue, and if these acts are considered to involve intrepidity (boldness and fearlessness) and gallantry (exceptional or heroic courage when facing mortal danger), then the acts are considered to be heroic. 

As a general principle, disability (short term, long term, or permanent) that result from acts of heroism (according to the standards set forth above)  in situations where lives have been saved, should be considered to be indisputable evidence of the heroic nature of the rescue. 

Q: Who will be eligible for the medals?
A: The medals will be available to credentialed first responders.There will be a Pilot Program in Southeastern Pennsylvania to beta-test the website software. The program will be expanded to Pennsylvania, and then FEMA Region III and then nationwide.

Q: If I donate, what will the money be used for?
A: There will be two types of donations. The first donations will be used to build the organization’s infrastructure. The money will be used for things like building the website and designing the medals. The second will pay for awards to be given to sworn law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMT’s and paramedics.

Q: Who pays for the medals?
A: Medals are paid for using donated money. Credentialled first responders may purchase duplicate medals with their own funds.

Q: What is Heraldry and why are you called the Institute of Heraldry?
A: Heraldry is the tradition that uses symbols to represent qualities. It is most commonly recognized in the decorations, flags, seals of governments. For example, whenever the President speaks, the Presidential Seal is displayed on the podium. It can be seen on the letterhead of official government documents and correspondence. Heraldry is used in the design of medals, awards, decorations & appurtenances, “Heraldry can be defined as a communication system that uses colors and symbols for the purpose of personal or organizational identification.” (cut & paste from TIOH website) It comes from the Coat of Arms which would be displayed on a shield, and it was created to prevent knights from killing their allies.

Q: Is the American First Responder Institute of Heraldry an agency of the government?
A: No. The American First Responder Institute of Heraldry is a charitable organization. It is organized as a non-profit corporation that is aggressively pursuing IRS 501(c)3 status.

Q: Why is the American First Responder Institute of Heraldry a non-profit rather than an agency of the government?
A: The founders of the organization have an intimate knowledge of the workings of bureaucracies. It was our desire to be independent of the political pressures of governmental organizations. Our non-profit status also allows us to use the proceeds of the sale of the medals to fund the Homeland Heroes Fund.

Q: Are contributions to the American First Responder Institute of Heraldry tax deductible?
A: Yes. We are a program partner of the Urban Affairs Coalition.  UAC provides us with empowered third-party accountability and compliance with all IRS regulations.

Q: Do DHS agencies have awards?
A: Yes. There are a number of federal awards that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uniformed personnel are eligible to received. For example, the DEA has a Purple Heart. The Bureau of Prisons has a Meritorious Service Medal. DHS, FEMA, ATF and BOP all have a Distinguished Service Medal.

Q: How many awards are there in the Department of Defense?
A: There are more than 75 federally recognized medals and ribbons that members of the Department of Defense are eligible to receive. First responders have one, the Medal of Valor.

Q: Does the American First Responder Institute of Heraldry have any federal authorization to do the work that they do?
A: No, but the leadership of the American First Responder Institute of Heraldry is working with members of Congress to request a federal charter under Title 36 of the United States Code (Subtitle II Patriotic and National Organizations).

Q: How does the HHF differ from the PSOB?
A: There are three differences between the Homeland Heroes Fund (HHF) and the Public Safety Officers Benefit (PSOB) program. The biggest difference is time. The HHF addresses the immediate needs of the families of fallen first responders with 24-48 hours of the death. The PSOB provides death and survivor educational benefits, but only after an application has been filed, reviewed and approved by the Department of Justice. This approval is dependant on submitting numerous forms including birth and marriage certificates, and it is dependant on the results of detailed investigations including the autopsy, toxicology reports, etc.The HHF does not require the same onerous paperwork because we use trusted peer relationships to verify and validate claims.

A second difference is scale. Our individual awards for a line of duty death are $10,000 while the PSOB benefits exceed $300,000. The final difference is criteria. The HHF makes awards without pre-qualifying based on indivudual fault, liability, or culpability.

Q: By preventing other business from manufacturing the medals, aren’t you creating a monopoly?
A: No, we are not creating a monopoly because we are not preventing businesses from manufacturing military medals, and other awards. The designs for the medals will be the intellectual property of the Institute of Heraldry and would reasonably be provided protection under the law. Having Congress pass a bill codifies the processes, and Title 36 standing for the Institute of Heraldry gives the awards federal prestige.

Q: Why do you qualify for tax exempt status?
A: Yes.  The American First Responder Institute of Heraldry was organized as a non-profit corporation. It qualifies because it “lessens the burdens of government” by using private donations to purchase medals that will be awarded with the approval of local, county, state and federal governments on behalf of the public.  Additionally, our 501(c)3 status is provided under the fiscal agency of our program partner~ the Urban Affairs Coalition.

http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=175418,00.html We have been organized to limit the activities of the corporation within the requirements of the IRS.

Q: Do you use professional fundraisers?
A: No. Our business plan charitable contributions, and leverages the monetary value of the medals to support our operations. As long as police officers, firefighters and medics continue to act heroically, our mission will exist and our funding stream will remain intact.

Q: Who designed your website?
A: The guys at Inverse Paradox