Sec. 7-314b.
Collection of workers' compensation benefits by volunteer firefighters and members of volunteer ambulance services.
Connecticut General Statute as amended to January 1, 2021, regarding
Compensation Benefits for Volunteer Firefighters and Volunteer Ambulance Personnel
Sec. 7-314b. Collection of workers' compensation benefits by volunteer firefighters and members of volunteer ambulance services. (a) Any active member of a volunteer fire company or department engaged in volunteer fire duties or any active member of an organization certified as a volunteer ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180 may collect benefits under the provisions of chapter 568 based on the salary of his employment or the amount specified in subsection (b) of section 7-314a, whichever is greater, if said firefighter or volunteer ambulance service provider is injured while engaged in fire duties or volunteer ambulance service.
(b) As used in this section, the terms "fire duties" includes duties performed while at fires, answering alarms of fire, answering calls for mutual aid assistance, returning from calls for mutual aid assistance, at fire drills or training exercises, and directly returning from fires, "active member of a volunteer fire company or department" includes all active members of said fire company or department, fire patrol or fire and police patrol company, whether paid or not paid for their services, "ambulance service" includes answering alarms, calls for emergency medical service or directly returning from calls for the emergency situations, duties performed while performing transportation or treatment services to patients under emergency conditions, while at any location where emergency medical service is rendered, while engaged in drills or training exercises, while at tests or trials of any apparatus or equipment normally used in the performance of such medical service drills, and "active member of an organization certified as a volunteer ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180" includes all active members of said ambulance service whether paid or not paid for their services.
(c) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall only apply if the volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance service provider is unable to perform his regular employment duties.
(P.A. 95-243, S. 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S 85, 88; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-10, S. 5, 7.)
History: June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 added volunteer and municipal ambulance service members as employees, and defined the terms "ambulance service" and "active member of an organization certified as a volunteer or municipal ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180", effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-10 deleted references to municipal ambulance service members as employees and in Subsec. (b) included fire drills or training exercises in definition of "fire duties", effective July 1, 1997.
Term "fire duties" does not encompass conduct of volunteer firefighter departing firehouse to tend to his personal affairs. 180 CA 717; judgment affirmed, see 332 C. 93.