Officer Jason McKissack was viciously attacked and injured in June of 2008 in the line of duty. He has since been separated from the Seattle Police Department for his inability to return to law enforcement, and will most likely be determined to be “Catastrophically Disabled”, meaning he can never work in any profession again.
Because of this, his family is living on L&I (which ends up being about 50% of his wages—due to a cap) and they have been cut off of health insurance. They are now faced with coming up with money to pay COBRA (over $1300.00 a month) out of their already drastically reduced salary. The McKissack’s are now faced with having to make decisions between paying their mortgage or putting food on the table for their two young children, or having medical insurance.
There is a bill (HB 1679) in Olympia which would provide health insurance for “Catastrophically Disabled” Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters (and their families) who are injured in the line of duty. Law Enforcement Officers put their lives on the line everyday, and should, in turn, be protected should they ever be catastrophically injured. We don’t want to ever see another police family faced with the situation that the McKissacks are now faced with.
We are asking EVERY PERSON to call their legislator to ask that they pass this bill that would provide health insurance to Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters who are catastrophically disabled in the line of duty.
House Bill 1679 has a hearing with the Ways and Means Committe on MONDAY, JANUARY 25th at 3:30pm in Olympia. We are asking ANY SPD Officers and their families that can attend, do. SPOG has a SPD bus that can hold 40 officers that will be leaving the SPOG office at 12:00 and is first come first serve. We want to pack the hearing with officers and families. Please try to attend. SPD personnel can be in uniform but must be off duty.
If you would like to send letters or cards of support to the family, or send a financial contribution, please send it to: Seattle Police Guild
2949 4th Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98134
(If you are making a financial donation, please make your check payable to SPOG with Jason McKissack Fund in the memo line.) Thank you!
We will continue to update this site with information as it becomes available, and also other ways people can be of assistance. Thank you for your support!
Q 13 Fox and Komo News 4 did special pieces on Jason McKissack and this situation.
Please visit:
The following attachment is a list of all legislative districts in Washington with the phone numbers to your legislators. PLEASE CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT THIS BILL.
Legislative Districts.doc
