House Votes to Increase Death Benefits for Families of Fallen Officers, Firefighters

Lawmakers in Massachusetts on Wednesday approved an increase in the death benefits meant for the families of fallen firefighters and police officers, MyFoxBoston reported Wednesday.

The State House of Representatives approved the bill unanimously Wednesday, according to the report. The move comes just a week after Boston firefighters Lt. Ed Walsh and Firefighter Mike Kennedy were killed in the line of duty while battling a massive fire in Back Bay, and just a day after Plymouth police officer Gregg Maloney was killed in a motorcycle crash.

While the state has paid $100,000 in benefits to the families of fallen public safety officials since 1994, the most recent bill would increase the benefit to $150,000, which would apply to the families of Walsh and Kennedy, according to MyFoxBoston.

Walsh, who lived in West Roxbury, was married and had three children all under the age of 10. His funeral was held in Watertown Wednesday morning.

A West Roxbury native, Kennedy lived in Hyde Park and was a six-veteran of the Boston Fire Department. He was one of the first responders in last year's Boston Marathon bombings, served as a Marine and was involved in several community service initiatives, including being a Big Brother to a Milton teenager. His funeral is planned for Thursday morning in West Roxbury.