Wyoming L.A.S.T. Team
The Wyoming Local Assistance State Team (LAST) is a voluntary program administered by the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. The primary objective of the LAST team is to provide assistance and comfort to the family and department after a firefighter line-of-duty death (LODD) and to help with filing for Federal Public Safety Officer’s Benefit (PSOB) as well as state and local benefits. The program is administered at the national level, with each individual state providing their own cadre of personnel to staff the various functions required to coordinate the efforts of the team.
Wyoming’s LAST was stood up by the NFFF in 2010 and is coordinated by Wyoming Asst. State Fire Marshal Mark Young and Fire Chief Dan Johnson, Laramie Fire Department. The team is comprised of 70 volunteer members who are affiliated with many individual agencies and public safety disciplines throughout the state.
The LODD services offered by Wyoming LAST extend beyond just the facilitation of the PSOB paperwork, and can be as extensive or as limited as required – depending on the needs of the family and agency of the fallen officer. Some of these services include funeral arrangements and memorial services, coordinating and providing Honor Guard presence, coordinating and providing Pipes & Drums presence, grave side services, reception services, and arranging for large public safety processionals.
The research of other benefits is also prominent in the efforts of Wyoming LAST. Such benefits may include death benefits from past, or existing local and state pension plans, and worker’s compensation benefits.
Since the inception of Wyoming LAST in 2010, the original mission has expanded from fire fighter LODD support to include supporting fire fighter, law enforcement, and EMT active member LODD’s, and non-LODD’s. This also includes supporting and planning the funeral and memorial services of retired Wyoming public safety officers.
Membership on the Wyoming LAST is voluntary and is open to all personnel from established public safety organizations from all disciplines – fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and public EMS agencies.
Wyoming LAST is able to support the surviving family members and departments of deceased Wyoming public safety officers who were either active or retired because of very gracious donations across the State of Wyoming. These donations have come from various Wyoming fire service agencies and associations, law enforcement organizations, past auctioning of Game & Fish Commissioner Hunting Tags, and from the general public. To donate to Wyoming LAST contact either of the Co-Coordinators. The Wyoming Fire Chiefs Association serves as the team’s fiscal agent.
Wyoming LAST information is available to the public on Facebook. Please search for Wyoming LAST on Facebook, like us and share.
Information specific to Wyoming LAST can be obtained from Dan Johnson, Fire Chief Laramie Fire Department email: djohnson@cityoflaramie.org or Fire Chief Scott Kitchner email:skitchner@fd1fire.com