Township of Lower Gwynedd, PA Fire and Ambulance Services

The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended), 77 P.S. §§ 1 through 1041.4 (hereafter the "Act"), provides for additional coverage for members of volunteer fire departments or volunteer fire companies as well as members of a volunteer ambulance corps, who may be considered employees of a municipality for purposes of the Act, when such persons are engaged in the performance of duties enumerated in the Act at Section 601(a)(1) and (2), or when such persons are engaged in the performance of such other duties as authorized by the municipality served by such persons. The Board of Supervisors declares as a matter of legislative determination and public policy, as necessary in the public interest, that the provisions hereinafter contained and enacted are for the benefit of those individuals dedicated to the protection of the inhabitants of the Lower Gwynedd Township and are, therefore, in pursuance of and for the purpose of securing and promoting the public health, comfort, convenience, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the Township.

(a)

All volunteer members of the Wissahickon Fire Company and the North Penn Fire Company (hereafter the "fire companies"), each of which companies serves the inhabitants of the Lower Gwynedd Township, shall be considered employees of the Township for purposes of receiving compensation pursuant to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended), 77 P.S. § 601 (a)(1), for injuries sustained while actively engaged in performing the following duties:

(1)

Responding to alarms, including all emergency and fire-fighting activities related thereto; auto rescue; water rescue; hazardous materials alarms; and assistance to other municipalities (whether on an emergency scene in another municipality or on standby at the fire company when requested by another municipality); assistance to the fire police; and all special alarms as authorized by the Fire Chief or the Officer in Charge. For purposes of this paragraph, "responding to alarms" shall include the volunteer firefighter's travel from and the direct return to a firefighter's home, place of business or other place where he or she shall have been when he or she received the call or alarm.

(2)

Answering any emergency calls for any purpose or while riding upon the fire apparatus which is owned or used by the fire companies.

(3)

Performing repair, maintenance of or other work on fire company equipment, buildings and property at the direction of the Fire Chief or Officer in Charge.

(4)

Participating in instruction fire drills and other training exercises pertaining to the operation and certification of the fire company, including training exercises in conjunction with fire companies in other municipalities, as authorized by the Fire Chief or Officer in Charge.

(5)

Participating in Fire Prevention Week activities in the Township and with fire companies in other municipalities, when authorized by the Fire Chief or the Officer in Charge.

(6)

Participating in fund-raising events sponsored by the fire companies at their firehouses or on Township property. Participation in fund-raising activities of any kind at all other locations shall not be allowed without the prior written authorization of the Township Board or Manager acting on behalf of the Board.

(7)

Participating in parades, equipment housings and funerals for fire personnel within Lower Gwynedd Township, and in other municipalities only with the prior written authorization by the Township Board or the Manager acting for the Board.

(8)

Participating in any and all additional events or activities for which such participation is expressly preauthorized in writing by the Township Board or the Manager acting for the Board.

(b)

All volunteer members of the Community Ambulance Association, Ambler (hereafter the "ambulance company"), which serves the inhabitants of Lower Gwynedd Township, shall be considered employees of the Township for purposes of receiving compensation pursuant to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended), 77 P.S. § 601 (a)(2), for injuries sustained while actively engaged as ambulance corpsmen, including the following duties:

(1)

Responding to emergencies, including fire, accident or other emergencies, and all special alarms as authorized by the ambulance company. For purposes of this paragraph, "responding to emergencies" shall include the ambulance corpsman's travel from and the direct return to a corpsman's home, place of business or other place where he or she shall have been when he or she received the call or alarm.

(2)

Answering any emergency calls for any purpose or riding in or upon the ambulance apparatus which is owned by the ambulance company.

(3)

Performing maintenance of ambulance apparatus, buildings and property, when such activity is authorized by the ambulance company.

(4)

Participating in training exercises pertaining to the operation and certification of the ambulance company, including training exercises in conjunction with ambulance companies in other municipalities, as approved by the ambulance company.

(5)

Participating in fund-raising events sponsored by the ambulance company on Township property. Participation in fund-raising activities of any kind at all other locations shall not be allowed without the prior written authorization of the Township Board or the Manager acting for the Board.

(6)

Participating in parades and other events within Lower Gwynedd Township, and in other municipalities only when expressly preauthorized in writing by the Township Board or Manager acting for the Board.

(7)

Participating in any and all additional events or activities for which such participation is expressly preauthorized in writing by the Township Board or Manager acting for the Board.

(c)

Except where otherwise stated herein, nothing contained in this section shall be considered to limit in any way the activities for which compensation is available to volunteer fire personnel or volunteer ambulance corpsmen pursuant to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended), as set forth in 77 P.S. § 601 (a)(1) and/or (a)(2).