The Freedom Tower

The federal government has dropped its opposition to granting federal death benefits to a public safety officer who died fighting to save people at the World Trade Center.
The federal government has dropped its fight against the family of Glenn Winuk, a member of the Jericho volunteer Fire Department who raced to the Twin Towers in an attempt to help victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack.
According to press reports, “Winuk, 40, was working at his Manhattan law office the morning of the attacks, but he grabbed a medical bag and raced to pitch in with the rescue effort. He died when the skyscrapers collapsed; when his body was found in the rubble, months later, he was wearing surgical gloves and a stethoscope.

The Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance fought his family’s effort to collect a $250,000 payment due to police officers, firefighters and other government emergency workers killed in the line of duty.

The agency argued that the benefit was intended only for active-duty public safety officers, and that Winuk didn’t qualify because he hadn’t been on regular duty with his volunteer department on Long Island since 1998.

The turning point in the case came when a judge on the Federal Court of Claims sided with the family last June, ruling that the government’s denial of the benefit had been arbitrary.

The long court battle finally ended on Jan. 10, after the Office of the Solicitor General decided to drop its last appeal in the case.

“It’s really terrific. This fight has gone on too long,” said Glenn’s brother, Jay Winuk.

Although the move clears the way for Winuk’s parents to receive the $250,000, the family says their primary interest is in achieving proper government recognition for Glenn’s public service.”