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Relief Association
The Relief Association is a non-profit organization that is a distinct and separate legal entity from the Fire Company. It was established for the purpose of providing the volunteer firefighters of the Fire Company with some measure of protection from any misfortune suffered as a result of their participation in the Fire Service.
Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations (VFRAs) receive state aid from a 2 percent tax on foreign fire insurance premiums. (The term “foreign fire insurance” means fire insurance purchased by Pennsylvania residents from an insurance company that is not incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania). These funds are used to pay for insurance to protect volunteer firefighters, purchase fire equipment and to cover volunteer training expenses.
The legislation governing VFRAs was enacted in order to encourage individuals to participate in the fire service. Act 205 of 1984 provides the funding for VFRAs but Act 118 of 2010, (Chapter 74 Subsection B) governs the operation of volunteer firefighters’ relief
associations (VFRA).
Act 118 also addresses how funds may be spent, and identifies the types of benefits a relief association may provide. Authorized relief association expenditures include:
· General Administrative expenditures such as office supplies, officers’ salaries, hall rental, legal fees
· Various types of insurance coverage
· Death benefits
· Tokens of sympathy to families of a deceased member
· Payments to families in distressed circumstances due to fire service participation
· Medical bills incurred from fire service participation not covered by insurance
· Volunteer firefighters’ association membership dues
· Fire training expenses, including travel, books, tuition and lodging
· Purchase of fire equipment and fire apparatus
· Enrollment in health and physical fitness programs
· Purchase of exercise equipment for firefighters
· Purchase of fire prevention materials
VFRA funds are periodically audited by the Commonwealth to make sure they are spent according to state law.
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