Minnesota lawmakers are hearing from firefighters across the state who say they need more help to stay alive on and off the job.
Emily Vollmer still vividly remembers the night she found her husband, dead.
"I found Jeff in our own home in the hallway in the middle of the night and then I had to summon not only the fire department, but his fire department." she said.
Vollmer was Captain of the Mayer Fire department. He died 3 years ago at his home from an apparent heart attack after returning home from a training exercise.
He was 40 years old.
"We are doing okay," she said.
After his death she said they learned he had a cardiac issue, which had not been detected during the basic health screening for the job.
She wants to make sure that other families don't have to go through what they did and is supporting the Hometown Hero’s Assistance bill being introduced at the Minnesota legislature.