Many funds will support families of the fallen

Jan. 29--The families left to mourn the loss of firefighters Stephen Machcinski and James Dickman will be supported emotionally and financially, local leaders vow.

Fire Chief Luis Santiago said that beyond financial support from various foundations, the Toledo Fire Department will give emotional support to both families.

"That's going to be our job and will continue to be our job for quite some time," he said.

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-- Dave Hackenberg column:

After opening Toledo'sCity Council meeting Tuesday with an invocation for the fallen firefighters, and after Chief Santiago addressed council, Councilman Larry Sykes praised Mr. Machcinski and Mr. Dickman.

"I stand ready to support any scholarship or anything that we support or put in place," Mr. Sykes said.

"Mayor, I ask that the families, the wives, the children receive the total support of the city because we [are] Toledoans and we take care of our own."

Visitation for Mr. Machcinski is 2 to 9 p.m. Friday at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave. Services are 10 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home.

Visitation for Mr. Dickman is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at Cedar Creek Church, 29129 Lime City Rd., Perrysburg. A second visitation is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at The Chapel, 4444 Galloway Rd., Sandusky. Funeral services are at 1 p.m. at the church and burial will follow at Oakland Cemetery in Sandusky.

Donation accounts are in place.

Mr. Machcinski's family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, tributes go to the Dickman Family Fund at any PNC bank.

Donations to the Toledo Fire & Rescue Foundation can also be made at the Toledo Police Credit Union and the Toledo Fire Credit Union.

The families of Mr. Machcinski and Mr. Dickman will receive benefits from various agencies.

Line-of-duty death benefits for active Toledo firefighters are as follows:

From the city of Toledo, beneficiaries receive $50,000.

Funeral expenses of up to $10,000 are covered.

From the Toledo Firefighters Union, Local 92, beneficiaries receive $1,000.

The Toledo firefighters health insurance plan carries a $20,000 death benefit.

And the Toledo Firefighters Benevolent Fund provides $5,000.

From the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund, beneficiaries receive $1,000.

Mr. Dickman's family will receive his full base pay, including future raises, until Sept. 3, 2038, the day he would be eligible for retirement.

After Sept. 3, 2038, the benefit will move to the "death fund benefit," which is 50 percent of the monthly base pay.

Mr. Machcinski, who was not married and did not have children, will have his pension contributions refunded to his parents.

From the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, more than 66 percent of the firefighters' average weekly wages are paid to beneficiaries.

If, in Mr. Dickman's case, his wife should remarry, Mrs. Dickman would receive a two-year lump sum payment and all benefits would end. The Workers' Compensation fund also contributes $3,200 toward burial expenses.

From the state of Ohio, children and the spouse of the deceased receive tuition and fee waivers for four years of undergraduate study at a state university, college, community college, university branch, or technical college.

From the Public Safety Officers Benefits Act, a lump sum of $328,612 is paid to surviving beneficiaries.

From the Public Safety Officers Educational Assistance Act, financial support is provided to defray the costs of tuition, room and board, textbooks, supplies, and other school-related costs.

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