New York · statute · N.Y. Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law · 65 active provisions
CHAPTER 696 AN ACT in relation to financial and other benefits to be paid and provided when volunteer firemen are killed or injured in line of duty, constituting chapter sixty-four-a of the consolidated laws Became a law April 16, 1956, with the approval of the Governor. Passed, by a majority vote, three-fifths being p…
ARTICLE I Short Title; Purpose; Definitions; Miscellaneous Section 1. Short title. 2. Purpose. 3. Definitions. 4. Removal of civil liability barriers.
§ 1. Short title. a. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "volunteer firefighters' benefit law". b. Reference in this chapter or in any other law to the volunteer firemen's benefit law shall be deemed to mean and refer to the volunteer firefighters' benefit law. The terms "volunteer fireman" or "volunteer fi…
§ 2. Purpose. One of the finest traditions of American community life is the service which people render to others without remuneration. Volunteer firefighters have long been in the forefront of this group. In recognition of the unselfish service by these volunteers, government has undertaken to provide for them and th…
§ 3. Definitions. As used in this chapter: 1. "Volunteer firefighter" means an active volunteer member of a fire company. 2. "Fire company" means: a. A fire company of a county, city, town, village or fire district fire department, whether or not any such company has been incorporated under any general or special law,…
§ 4. Removal of civil liability barriers. 1. (a) Liability protection. (1) A fire company or political subdivision, including a person acting as an agent thereof, that acts reasonably in donating qualified fire control or fire rescue equipment to a volunteer fire company shall not be liable in civil damages under any s…
ARTICLE II Coverage And Benefits Section 5. Coverage. 6. Volunteer firefighters' benefits; general. 7. Lt. Michael E. Neuner/Timothy Goff memorial death benefit program. 7-a. Date of death benefits. 8. Permanent total disability benefits. 9. Temporary total disability benefits. 10. Permanent partial disability benefits…
§ 5. Coverage. 1. The duties and activities in relation to which benefits shall be paid and provided pursuant to this chapter are: a. Necessary travel to, working at, and necessary travel returning from a fire, alarm of fire, hazardous material incident or other emergency to which his fire department, fire company, or…
§ 6. Volunteer firefighters' benefits; general. If a volunteer firefighter dies from the effects of injury in line of duty, or if such a firefighter shall be injured in line of duty, benefits shall be paid and provided pursuant to this chapter, except that there shall be no liability for such benefits when the injury h…
§ 7. Lt. Michael E. Neuner/Timothy Goff memorial death benefit program. In the event of death the benefit shall be known as a death benefit and shall be paid as follows: 1. The reasonable funeral expenses of the deceased volunteer firefighter shall be paid in an amount not exceeding six thousand seven hundred dollars;…
§ 7-a. Date of death benefits. All weekly benefits payable under section seven of this article shall accrue as of the date of death of the volunteer firefighter. In the event that a person or persons entitled to weekly benefits shall die before a determination is made on the merits of their claim, and such determinatio…
§ 8. Permanent total disability benefits. In the case of total disability adjudged to be permanent the volunteer firefighter shall be paid six hundred dollars for each week during the continuance thereof. Permanent total disability, within the meaning of this section, shall exist only if the earning capacity of the vol…
§ 9. Temporary total disability benefits. In the case of temporary total disability the volunteer firefighter shall be paid one hundred twenty-five dollars for each week during the continuance thereof; provided, however, that when the volunteer firefighter is injured in the line of duty on or after July first, nineteen…
§ 10. Permanent partial disability benefits. 1. In the case of disability partial in character, but permanent in quality, the volunteer firefighter shall be paid ninety-five dollars for each week for the period specified in this subdivision, provided, however, that when the volunteer firefighter is injured in the line…
§ 11. Temporary partial disability benefits. In the case of temporary partial disability the volunteer firefighter shall be paid for each week during the continuance thereof, as follows: 1. If the percentage of loss of earning capacity is seventy-five per centum, or greater, he or she shall be paid ninety-five dollars…
§ 11-a. Repair or replacement of prosthetic devices. If, as a result of services performed in line of duty, a volunteer firefighter damages or loses any prosthetic devices required to be worn or used by him or her, whether or not he or she is injured, such prosthetic device shall be repaired, or replaced in the discret…
§ 11-b. Hazardous exposures. If, as a result of services performed in line of duty, a volunteer firefighter is exposed to or comes in contact with any poisons, gases, x-rays, radium, radio-active materials or other potentially harmful substances or matter, the chief engineer or other executive officer of the fire depar…
* § 11-c. Medical examination of volunteer firefighters to detect and identify the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 1. Whenever a volunteer firefighter has been exposed to a significant risk of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while performing services in the line of duty, the executive officer…
* § 11-c. Volunteer firefighters; presumption in certain diseases. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or of any general, special or local law to the contrary, and for the purposes of this chapter, any condition of impairment of health caused by diseases of the lung, resulting in total or partial disability o…
§ 12. Non-schedule adjustments. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in any case coming within the provisions of sections ten and eleven of this chapter, in which the right to benefits has been established and benefits have been paid for not less than three months, in which the continuance of disability…
§ 13. Reclassification of disabilities. Subject to the limitations in section fifty-one of this chapter and in section one hundred twenty-three of the workmen's compensation law as made applicable to this chapter by section fifty-seven of this chapter, the workmen's compensation board may at any time, without regard to…
§ 14. Previous disability. The fact that a volunteer firefighter has suffered previous disability or received benefits therefor as provided in section two hundred five of the general municipal law, the workers' compensation law, or this chapter shall not preclude him or her from benefits for a later injury nor preclude…
§ 15. Expense for rehabilitating injured volunteer firefighters. A volunteer firefighter, who as a result of injury is or may be expected to be totally or partially incapacitated for a remunerative occupation and who, under the direction of the state education department is being rendered fit to engage in a remunerativ…
§ 16. Treatment and care. A volunteer firefighter injured in line of duty shall be entitled to receive medical, surgical, podiatric, chiropractic, psychological and other attendance and treatment, nurse and hospital service, medicine, crutches, artificial members, devices, appliances, and apparatus, including the repla…
§ 17. Noncitizens. Financial benefits payable under this chapter to noncitizens not residents or about to become nonresidents of the United States or Canada shall be in the same amount as provided for residents, except that dependents in any foreign country shall be limited to surviving spouse and child or children, or…