The family of Capt. Matt Trott of the Casper Fire Department will be the first to receive automatic workers' compensation benefits under the state's new firefighter presumption law, the Casper Star-Tribune reported.

Capt. Matt Trott

Senate File 89 grants veteran firefighters automatic access to workers' compensation benefits if they are diagnosed with cancer, lymphoma, leukemia or cardiovascular disease, or if they have a heart attack or stroke. If the firefighter dies of one of those ailments, the benefits go to his family. Gov. Matt Mead signed SF 89 into law on March 3. The law went into effect immediately.

Trott, 46, died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday night after 21 years with the Casper Fire Department. His family has already been approved to receive death benefits, Fire Department spokesman Dane Anderson said. The presumption applies only to firefighters who have worked in the field for at least 10 years.

View SF 89 here.

Read the Casper Star-Tribune's story here.