Virginia Law

Article 2. Relief for Volunteer Fire Fighters.

Financial relief shall be extended by the counties, cities and towns of Virginia to volunteer fire fighters who are killed or injured while engaged in fighting fire or while responding to an alarm or returning from the scene of a fire, such relief to be paid in amounts and manner as hereinafter set forth.

1928, p. 1002; Michie Code 1942, § 3144a; 1970, c. 187; 1977, c. 326.

For the purposes of this article, the term "volunteer fire fighters" shall include only members of any organized fire-fighting company which has in its possession and operates fire-fighting apparatus and equipment, whose members serve without pay and whose names are maintained on a list kept by the secretary of such company. It shall be the responsibility of the secretary of such company or the secretary's designee to (i) file the list with the office of the clerk of the circuit court where such company is located, (ii) keep the list of such members up to date, and (iii) file the updated list with the clerk in a timely manner. The clerk shall not be responsible to obtain the list or an updated list from the secretary of the fire-fighting company if the list is not filed with the clerk.

1928, p. 1002; Michie Code 1942, § 3144b; 1977, c. 326; 2012, c. 802; 2014, c. 291.

Should any volunteer fire fighter be killed while actually engaged in fighting fire, or while going to a fire in answer to an alarm or returning therefrom, the governing body of the county, city or town in which his company is located shall pay to his personal representative, for the benefit of his estate, the sum of $1,000.

1928, p. 1002; Michie Code 1942, § 3144c; 1970, c. 187; 1977, c. 326.

Should any volunteer fire fighter be injured under circumstances set forth in § 27-43, so as to be totally and permanently disabled from making a livelihood, he shall be paid in like manner the sum of twenty-five dollars per week for forty weeks.

1928, p. 1002; Michie Code 1942, § 3144d; 1977, c. 326.

Should a volunteer fire fighter be injured under circumstances set forth in § 27-43, so as to be prevented from attending to his usual occupation for a period greater than two weeks, but not permanently and totally disabled, he shall be paid in like manner the sum of twenty-five dollars per week until able to return to his usual occupation, provided, that the payments shall not continue in any event for a period greater than ten weeks.

1928, p. 1002; Michie Code 1942, § 3144e; 1977, c. 326.

In addition to the relief set forth in §§ 27-43 through 27-45, all necessary hospital charges and all necessary and proper medical, surgical, laboratory and operating room charges for any volunteer fire fighter arising out of any injury set forth in such sections shall be paid by such county, city or town.

1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144f; 1970, c. 187; 1977, c. 326.

All funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this article shall be raised in the case of a city by a general levy on all property therein subject to taxation for local purposes; and in the case of a county one-half thereof shall be raised by a general levy throughout the county and one-half by the levy within the town or magisterial district in which the fire company is located on all property therein subject to taxation for local purpose.

1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144g.

Any disputed question of fact arising under the operation of this article shall be triable before the governing body of such county or city having jurisdiction of the company involved, and from the decision of such governing body the petitioner and the county or city, as the case may be, shall have an appeal of right to the circuit court of the county or the corporation court of the city. Such appeal on behalf of the county or city shall be taken by the attorney for the Commonwealth or the corporation counsel who shall prosecute the same in the trial court.

1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144h.

This article shall not be construed to repeal any special act now in force in any county or city for the relief of volunteer fire fighters or to limit the enactment of further special and local laws for such purpose.

1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144i; 1977, c. 326.

This article shall not become effective in any county, city or town until the governing body thereof shall adopt and approve the same by resolution duly passed and spread on its minutes.

1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144j.