27-39 - Counties, cities and towns authorized to provide relief.

§ 27-39. Counties, cities and towns authorized to provide relief.

Any county, city or town which operates fire-fighting equipment may providefor the relief of (1) any children and surviving spouse of any fire fighterwho dies (2) and on or before July 1, 1977, shall provide for the relief ofany fire fighter who is disabled by injury or illness as the direct orproximate result of the performance of his duty, including the presumptionunder § 27-40.1, in the service of the county, city or town or any politicalsubdivision with which it contracts or has contracted for fire protection,whether such fire fighter be a member of a fire company of the county inwhich the injury occurred or of a political subdivision with which itcontracts for fire protection. Such total disability retirement benefitsshall be not less than those provided under the in-line-of-duty disabilityretirement provisions of § 51.1-157. Such relief of any children andsurviving spouse of any fire fighter who dies shall be exclusive of, and notdependent upon, any payment under the Line of Duty Act (§ 9.1-400 et seq.).

(1946, p. 609; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 2743m; 1948, p. 161; 1970, c. 187; 1973,c. 543; 1976, c. 772; 1977, c. 326.)