At risk of sacrilege- wasn't being a "first responder" part of the job description? Don't they already get good pay, pensions and benefits along with excellent opportunities to opt into life insurance policies?
Also, if you die in a high rise tower because an idiot eunuch flies a plan into the side of it why should the US Govt pay your survivors? If a car jumps the curb tomorrow and kills me on the sidewalk should my wife call Allstate or former President Bush?
I don't get it. Shit happens, and sometimes it is very, very bad.