Family to get insurance benefits from line-of-duty death

KELSO — A new Washington law has helped allow the family of a firefighter who died in the line of duty to collect insurance benefits from his death.

The Longview Daily News reports that the law recognizes PTSD as an occupational disease for firefighters, medics and law enforcement officers and extends insurance coverage for stress-caused mental disorders and disabilities.

Authorities say the death of Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue battalion chief Mike Zainfeld was ruled “in the line of duty.”

Zainfeld’s family is expected to receive insurance, healthcare and educational benefits because of the law.

Zainfeld filed a claim earlier this year for his post-traumatic stress diagnosis.

The fire agency says confirming a PTSD-related suicide as line-of-duty deaths was arduous and time-consuming before the legislation passed in 2018.