Gov. Phil Murphy has signed worker’s compensation legislation to protect public safety workers, both volunteer and career.
Jan. 16, 2024, was the eighth anniversary of the passing of emergency medical technician Eskil Scott Danielson.
What a great tribute to honor him when Gov. Murphy signed the bill into law on Jan. 16, 2024.
On Jan. 16, 2016, Scott responded to a motor vehicle accident on Route 206 in Byram Township. He managed and tended to the patients involved.
Scott suffered a fatal cardiac emergency shortly thereafter.
The staff at the local hospital were able to revive him in the Emergency Department. Hours later, upon aeromedical transfer to a cardiac center and several rounds of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, Scott succumbed to his cardiac emergency.
His death was determined to be in the line of duty.
Scott served the Lakeland Emergency Squad for 33 years, with his last post as chief of the organization that serves Byram Township, Andover Borough and Andover Township.
Scott left behind his wife, Tammy, of 23 years and three children, Aaron, Amanda and Alycia.
In the following months and years, legal battles were litigated over laws in the books that were maligned to deny worker’s compensation to the surviving family members. The municipality and its insurance company were apathetic of their responsibility in this matter.
The municipality had experienced a line-of-duty death of the same nature in its Fire Department 17 months prior.
Eskil “Skip” Danielson, father of Scott, worked tirelessly to make sure the law was applied fairly and justly for his son and those who may come after.
Skip reached out to state government officials Assemblyman Parker Space, Assemblyman Hal Wirths and state Sen. Steve Oroho for legislative assistance. In the years following court battles, the three state representatives worked tirelessly with Skip to get legislation for those who serve selflessly, tirelessly and knowing their dedication is respected should they suffer a cardiac emergency or suffer a line-of-duty death from such cardiac injury.
As legislation was being drawn, Skip passed away suddenly on Oct. 3, 2022. His work was not done.
On Jan. 8, 2024, the efforts of Assemblymen Space, Wirths and Wayne DeAngelo passed Assembly bill A-5909. Sens. Oroho and Paul Sarlo were instrumental in passing Senate bill S-4267.
These bills revise the law governing workers’ compensation coverage for certain cardiac injuries to volunteer and career firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and law enforcement personnel for the period of 24 hours following shift or last call for service.
Aside from the extraordinary efforts of our state assemblymen and senators, the Danielson family wishes to thank the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey (PFANJ) president Matt Caliente and his staff of professionals for their research, energy and testimony helping to pass this law for the professionals they lead in New Jersey.
The Danielsons, as a family, hope that the circumstances in this protection law never have to be used ... it would mean we lost a brother or sister of emergency services family.
“We, as a family can now have closure, knowing families of fallen emergency workers in the future don’t suffer a second trauma. All first-responders need to go home to their families, and all families need to be whole should tragedy strike ... that is how Scott and Skip would want it,” said Kevin Danielson, a retired captain in the Clifton Fire Department.
“As I closed Scott’s eyes for the last time as he laid on the hospital gurney, I promised that I would protect his family ... .” Skip Danielson signed every letter with that statement.
Rest easy, we’ve got it from here.
Kevin Danielson
Byram Township