Massachusetts


Death	One-Time: The State pays a $100,000 death benefit to the survivors/estate of a firefighter who dies in the line of duty. Cities, towns and districts are required to provide to the surviving spouse (if any) and/or surviving minor children ( if any) a $500,000 lump sum death benefit or a survivor’s annuity of between 2/3rds, and 100% of the local compensation for a career firefighter. Contact: State Board of Retirement. Room 1219, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108-1607. Phone: (617) 367-7770 or (800) 392-6014. Workers Compensation: Firefighters in Massachusetts are not covered by workers' compensation. State law instead provides that most permanently disabled volunteers are eligible for a disability pension equal to 2/3 of the local compensation for a career firefighter. Contact: State Board of Retirement. Room 1219, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108-1607. Phone: (617) 367-7770 or (800) 392-6014. Funeral: Cities and towns may adopt a local option law that autherizes up to $15,000 for line of duty death funeral expenses. Contact: State Board of Retirement. Room 1219, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108-1607. Phone: (617) 367-7770 or (800) 392-6014. Pension: Survivors of volunteers killed in the line of duty do not receive a pension, but cities, towns, and districts have the option of providing the required $500,000 death benefit in the form of an annuity to any survivors. Contact: State Board of Retirement, Room 1219, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108-1607. Phone: (617) 367-7770 or (800) 392-6014. Child's Education: The benefit is an amount equal to tuition charged by the state institution attended. Limited to 4 years for student in good standing. Student must have graduated from high school in the Commonwealth. Contact: Massachusetts Department of Education. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5023. Phone: (781) 338-3000. Spouse's Education: None. Support Organizations: 100 Club of Massachusetts 17 Gloucester St. Boston, MA 02115 (617) 536-4410 Provides scholarships for spouses and children of firefighters who die in the line of duty. Also has a number of ongoing programs for survivors.



Education	The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy provides training courses to members of fire departments at no cost. Volunteers are eligible for all courses except the Firefighter Recruit Class. The Massachusetts Call/ Volunteer Firefighters Association (MCVFA) maintains a training video lending library through the public libraries (state wide). The MCVFA provides various training and scholarships and grants to its members. Contact: Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, Department of Fire Services. PO Box 1025, Stow, Massachusetts 01775. Phone: (978) 567-3100.



Workers Compensation	Firefighters are not part of the workers compensation system. State law requires municipality to pay all medical expenses of injured firefighters. State law requires disability payments to most volunteers for permanent disabilities equal to 2/3rds to 100% of local average career firefighter salaries.



Funding	Funding for the training facilities and curriculum for firefighters at the Massachusetts Fire Fighting Academy comes from insurance companies, not to exceed one-fourth of one percent of their estimated gross premiums on fire insurance.



Health	State law requires physical examinations for some departments, but there is no state funding.



Legal	N/A



Malpractice	State law states that a fire department cannot be sued for negligent firefighting, but it can be sued for negligent driving, medical malpractice, and other negligence not directly related to firefighting. Each municipality must indemnify its firefighters from civil negligence claims so long as the firefighter did not commit an intentional tort.



Retirement	Paid on-call firefighters may make voluntary contributions from their stipends to a 527 Deferred Compensation Plan if their municipality approves. There is no pension program for other volunteer firefighters.



Tax	None.



Additional	Volunteers cannot be terminated from their regular employment because of tardiness or absences caused by the volunteer responding to a fire prior to the time he or she was supposed to report to work. Volunteers may purchase group health insurance through their municipality's group health insurance plan, upon a vote of the municipality. The volunteers must pay 100% of the premium.

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