Article 85.

Statewide Firefighters' Relief Fund.

§ 58-85-1.  Application of fund.

The money paid into the hands of the treasurer of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association shall be known and remain as the "Firefighters' Relief Fund" of North Carolina, and shall be used as a fund for the relief of firefighters and county fire marshals, who are members of this Association, who may be injured or rendered sick by disease contracted in the actual discharge of duty as firefighters or county fire marshals, and for the relief of surviving spouses, children, and if there be no surviving spouse or children, then dependent mothers of the firefighters and county fire marshals killed or dying from disease so contracted in the discharge of duty; to be paid in the manner and in the sums to the individuals of the classes herein named and described as may be provided for and determined upon in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the Association, and any provisions and determinations made under the constitution and bylaws shall be final and conclusive as to the persons entitled to benefits and as to the amount of benefit to be received, and no action at law shall be maintained against the Association to enforce any claim or recover any benefit under this Article or under the constitution and bylaws of the Association; but if any officer or committee of the Association omit or refuse to perform any duty imposed upon the officer or them, nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent any proceedings against that officer or committee to compel the officer or them to perform that duty. Notwithstanding the above provisions, the Executive Board of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association is hereby authorized to grant educational scholarships to members and the children of members, to subsidize premium payments of members over 65 years of age to the Firemen's Fraternal Insurance Fund of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association, and to provide accidental death and dismemberment insurance for members of fire departments. (1891, c. 468, s. 3; Rev., s. 4393; C.S., s. 6058; 1925, c. 41; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1215; 1987, c. 174, s. 4; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 678, s. 33; 2004-199, s. 22(a); 2007-246, s. 1; 2014-64, s. 1(e); 2016-51, s. 6.)

§ 58-85-5:  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 58-85-10.  Treasurer to file report and give bond.

The treasurer of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association shall make a detailed report to the State Treasurer and the State Fire Marshal of the yearly expenditures of the appropriation under Articles 84 through 88 of this Chapter on or before the end of the fiscal year, showing the total amount of money in his hands at the time of the filing of the report, and shall give a bond to the State of North Carolina with good and sufficient sureties to the satisfaction of the Treasurer of the State of North Carolina in a sum not less than the amount of money on hand as shown by said report. (1891, c. 468, s. 4; Rev., s. 4394; C.S., s. 6059; 1925, c. 41; 2014-64, s. 1(e); 2016-51, s. 6; 2023-151, s. 11.41.)

§ 58-85-15.  Who shall participate in the fund.

The line of duty entitling one to participate in the fund shall be so construed as to mean actual fire duty only, and any actual duty connected with the fire department or county fire marshal office when directed to perform the same by an officer in charge. (1891, c. 468, s. 5; Rev., s. 4395; C.S., s. 6060; 1925, c. 41; 2004-199, s. 22(b).)

§ 58-85-20.  Who may become members.

Any organized fire company in North Carolina, holding itself ready for duty, may, upon compliance with the requirements of its constitution and bylaws, become a member of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association, and any firefighter of good moral character in North Carolina, and belonging to an organized fire company, who complies with the requirements of the constitution and bylaws of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association, may become a member of the Association. Any county fire marshal office may, upon compliance with the requirements of its constitution and bylaws, become a member of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association, and any employee of a county fire marshal office of good moral character whose sole duty is to act as a fire marshal, deputy fire marshal, assistant fire marshal, or firefighter of the county, who complies with the requirements of its constitution and bylaws, may become a member of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association. (1891, c. 468, s. 6; Rev., s. 4396; C.S., s. 6061; 1925, c. 41; 2004-199, s. 22(c); 2014-64, s. 1(e); 2016-51, s. 6.)

§ 58-85-25.  Applied to members of regular fire company.

G.S. 58-85-1, 58-85-10, 58-85-15, 58-85-20, and 58-85-25 shall apply to any firefighter or fire marshal who is a member of a regularly organized fire company or county fire marshal office, and is a member in good standing of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association. (1891, c. 468, s. 7; Rev., s. 4397; C.S., s. 6062; 1925, c. 41; 2004-199, s. 22(d); 2014-64, s. 1(e); 2016-51, s. 6.)

§ 58-85-30.  Treasurer to pay fund to Volunteer Firemen's Association.

(a) The treasurer of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association shall pay to the treasurer of the North Carolina State Volunteer Firemen's Association one sixth of the funds arising from the three percent (3%) paid the treasurer of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association by the State Fire Marshal each year to be used by the North Carolina State Volunteer Firemen's Association for the purposes set forth in G.S. 58-84-35.

(b) Local units of the North Carolina State Volunteer Firemen's Association shall maintain records and report to the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association in accordance with G.S. 58-84-40, and shall be subject to the sanctions in G.S. 58-84-40. (1925, c. 41; 1985, c. 666, s. 65; 2003-221, s. 11; 2016-51, s. 6; 2023-151, s. 11.42.)

§ 58-85-35.  Prudent management of Firefighters' Relief Fund.

The North Carolina State Firefighters' Association shall manage the Firefighters' Relief Fund as a prudent trustee of the funds, subject to Chapter 36E of the General Statutes. (2014-64, s. 1(e); 2016-51, s. 6.)