Honoring 3 Fallen Heroes

Honoring

Officer Byron Don Shields

U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations

EOW: None | Age: 54 | Tour: 18 Years

Officer Byron Shields died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 during a presumed exposure while on duty. Officer Shields was a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm and had served with the United States Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations for 18 years. He is survived by his mother, brother, and two sisters. In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.

Honoring

Captain William Christopher Mertz

Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District, California

EOW: Jan. 20, 2021 | Age: 54 | Tour: None

Captain William Christopher Mertz, while on-duty at the fire department, contracted COVID-19. He passed away on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 from the virus.

Honoring

Captain Erik Segura

Laredo Fire Department, Texas

EOW: Jan. 26, 2021 | Age: 45 | Tour: None

Captain Erik Segura was part of the COVID-19 response team for the Laredo Fire Department. He contracted the virus while responding to an EMS call from a patient with a known case of the disease. He passed away on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.

Disclaimer:

This information is supplied by the Officer Down Memorial Page (www.odmp.org) and the U.S. Fire Administration (www.apps.usfa.fema.gov).

Founder of FRBA

First Responder Benefit Association (FRBA) is our nonprofit founded to fill the gap of financial hardship that can often burden families of fallen First Responders. The First Responder Task Force funds 100% of FRBA’s administrative and operational expenses so that 100% of public donations go directly to aiding the families in need.

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First Responder Benefit Association is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

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*The $5,000 survivor benefit is paid when a line of duty death occurs. Line of duty is defined as AFBA members who are Emergency Service Providers to include law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical services providers who are killed while involved in operations at or responding to/from the scene of an incident. If death occurs otherwise, outside of a suicide, the beneficiary will receive a $2000 benefit.

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