Ronnie Garrett
Editorial Director
Law Enforcement Technology magazine
Mine is a relatively low-risk profession. The possibility of disaster striking my cubicle is relatively low, and the odds of being shot by a disgruntled coworker fairly small (at least I hope they are).
But, I have life insurance, accidental death insurance, and I have a will.
I’m prepared for death, though I don’t think it’s just around the corner.
Often those in the high-risk law enforcement profession don’t want to think about dying, even though every shift could be their last. Thinking about a will is often an uncomfortable reminder of the imminent dangers of their jobs. In the words of one veteran officer, “I don’t like to dwell on things like that. I don’t want to think about it. I really don’t.â€
No one likes to consider death, but it is a reality, especially in the law enforcement profession, where according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund 186 officers lost their lives in the line of duty in 2007. Unfortunately many officers are unprepared for that harsh reality and when it strikes unexpectedly, their families suffer the consequences.
In the 17 minutes between the crash of two planes into New York’s World Trade Center, well over 1,000 first responders rushed towards a fiery uncertain fate. Of the 403 first responders who died on 9/11, most did not have a will.
Eight of the nine firefighters who died in the Charleston warehouse fire on June 18, 2007, also did not have a will.
These first responders are not alone. A recent Harris Interactive poll, conducted for Lawyers.com, surveyed 1,018 adults and found that more than half didn’t have a will. The top reasons cited for not having one were people don’t like to think about dying, don’t know how to get started or who to talk to about an estate plan, and think they don’t have enough assets to need one.
“Preparing a will is one of those tasks that make many feel uneasy,†explains Fire Chief Chuck Osterman of Kingman, Arizona.
In November 2001, Attorney Anthony Hayes set out to change this unfortunate situation. He created the Wills for Heroes program, a non-profit organization that works with affiliate organizations to provide free wills and other estate planning documents to America’s first responders.
The pro bono legal service brings volunteer attorneys directly to first responders and produces estate planning documents in about an hour. Before meeting with a Wills for Heroes attorney, first responders complete an estate planning questionnaire. This allows participants to think through and discuss important decisions with their loved ones. The attorney prepares all the documents, and they are signed, witnessed and notorized in a single sitting.
This program has already helped thousands of first responders prepare for the future. It draws from a team of 140,000 attorneys in the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division to provide this needed service. LexisNexis provides HotDocs software to these attorneys for will preparation.
However this program is in dire need of some outside help. To accomplish the estate planning tasks its experts perform, the organization requires equipment. Specifically, it seeks computer systems with at least a 2-GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, a 40-GB hard drive, a CD-Rom or DVD drive, a built-in wireless network card, and multiple USB ports. The systems also must be equipped with Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, and Microsoft Word 2007 or 2003.
If you’re one of the thousands of first responders without a will, the Wills for Heroes Foundation can help. If you’ve got excess equipment the organization could use, you could help it. To learn more, visit
www.willsforheroes.org, call (520) 349-8988 or contact Anthony Hayes at
[email protected]. Whether you need a will or have a computer to donate, they’ll be glad you called.
Remember, be safe out there — but be prepared!
