Prescott panel to review benefit claim by firefighter’s family

An honor guard presents families with an American flag during a memorial service at Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Ariz., Tuesday, July 9, 2013, for the 19 Granite Mountain hotshot firefighters that were killed on June 30 while battling the Yarnell Hill Fire. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, David Kadlubowski, Pool)

PRESCOTT — A hearing is scheduled this week in Prescott on the retirement-benefit claim by the family of a fallen Granite Mountain Hotshot.

The hearing will take place Wednesday and Thursday before the Prescott Board of the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System at City Hall.

The Prescott Courier reports  the hearing will consider the claim by Andrew Ashcraft’s family that he was eligible for participation in the retirement system and the family is entitled to survivor benefits.

Since the deaths of 19 of Prescott’s Granite Mountain Hotshot crew last June, the city has contended that only six of the Hotshots were permanent employees and entitled to full survivor death benefits.

The remaining 13 including Ashcraft were considered temporary seasonal employees and the city says they weren’t entitled to full survivor benefits.