[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Bridgewater as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administrative organization — See Ch. 4.
Salaries and compensation — See Ch. 37.
[Adopted 10-1-1973 by Ord. No. 73-21; amended in its entirety 7-19-2004 by Ord. No. 04-20]
A. 
Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 43:12-28.1 et seq., there is hereby provided a state pension to the surviving spouse, minor children or parent of any volunteer firefighter who has died as a result of injuries sustained in the course of performance of duty as a member of a volunteer fire company serving the Township of Bridgewater. Said pension shall be paid by the state in accordance with the statutes in such cases made and provided and shall be retroactive to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2000.
B. 
Determination of the eligibility of the aforesaid individual for a state survivor's pension shall be made by the Township Council of the Township of Bridgewater and such action shall be reflected by the adoption of a resolution. The Township Council may determine that the surviving spouse, children or parent of a volunteer firefighter is eligible for a state survivor's pension whenever a volunteer dies while responding to, preparing for or returning from an emergency while under orders from a competent authority. When the Township Council determines that a surviving spouse or children or parent are eligible for a state survivor's pension, a certified copy of this resolution shall be filed by the Municipal Clerk with the State Treasurer within 10 days of adoption.
C. 
"Child" shall mean a deceased firefighter's unmarried child under the age of 18 or 18 years of age or older and enrolled in a secondary school or under the age of 24 and enrolled in a degree program in an institution of higher education for at least 12 credit hours in each semester or of any age who, at the time of the firefighter's death, is disabled because of mental retardation or physical incapacity and is unable to do any substantial, gainful work because of the impairment and the impairment has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as affirmed by the medical professional.
D. 
"Parent" shall mean the parent of a firefighter who was receiving at least 1/2 of his or her support from the firefighter in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the firefighter's death. The dependency of such a parent will be considered terminated by marriage of the parent subsequent to the death of the member.
There is hereby provided a Township pension annually paid by the Township to the widow, widower or minor children of volunteer firefighters who shall die as the direct result of injuries sustained in the course of performance of duties while serving as a member of a volunteer fire company serving the Township of Bridgewater, named in § 23-7 hereof.
If a state survivor's pension is granted, it shall he for the sum of $15,000, annually, paid to the surviving spouse during his or her period of widowhood or to the child or children of such firefighter, if he or she leaves no surviving spouse, or to such child or children after the death of such spouse; $10,000, annually, paid to the child or children of such firefighter, if the surviving spouse remarries; or $5,000, annually, paid to the parent of parents of such firefighter, if he or she leaves no surviving spouse or child.
Such Township pension shall be in the amount of $5,000 annually and paid to the widow or widower if a volunteer firefighter shall die with a spouse surviving and during his or her widowhood only, or if no spouse shall survive such death, then to the appointed guardian of the minor child or children of such volunteer firefighter in equal shares, or the survivor of them after the death of such widow or widower, subject to the provisions and limitations contained in this section. Such pension shall terminate if the widow or widower remarries, whether or not minor children of such volunteer fireman are then surviving. In the event payments are made hereunder to a minor or minors, there being no widow or widower surviving, that such payment shall terminate upon the obtaining of age 18 years by such minor or minors.
The Township of Bridgewater shall make such investigation as it shall deem necessary to determine if a death, in fact, shall have resulted from injuries sustained in the course of performance of duty as a member of a recognized volunteer fire company, which determination shall be final.
This article shall become effective immediately upon adoption and publication according to law, except that payments shall not commence hereunder until sufficient moneys have been appropriated and made available in the municipal budget for any year in which payments are obligated to be paid. Payments shall be made on the basis of a proof of claim form provided by the Township of Bridgewater or an insurance carrier, as the case may be.
Payments under the terms of this article shall be limited to the surviving spouse, minor children or parent of any volunteer firefighter who are members of the following volunteer fire companies which are hereby determined to service the Township of Bridgewater:
A. 
Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
B. 
Finderne Engine Company No. 1, Inc.
C. 
Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, Inc.
D. 
Martinsville Engine Company No. 1, Inc.
E. 
North Branch Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
F. 
Country Hills Volunteer Fire Company.
[Adopted 10-20-1975 by Ord. No. 75-19]
[Amended 7-8-1976 by Ord. No. 76-22; 7-19-2004 by Ord. No. 04-20]
A. 
Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 43:12-28.1 et seq., there hereby provided a state pension to the surviving spouse, minor children or parent of any volunteer first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician who has died as a result of injuries sustained in the course of performance of duty as a member of a volunteer first aid or rescue squad serving the Township of Bridgewater. Said state pension shall be paid in accordance with the statutes in such cases made and provided and shall be retroactive to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2000.
B. 
Determination of the eligibility of the aforesaid individual for a survivor's pension shall be made by the Township Council of the Township of Bridgewater and such action shall be reflected by the adoption of a resolution. The Township Council may determine that the surviving spouse, children or parent of a volunteer first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician is eligible for a survivor's pension whenever a volunteer dies while responding to, preparing for or returning from an emergency while under orders from a competent authority. When the Township Council determines that a surviving spouse or children or parent are eligible for a survivor's pension, a certified copy of this resolution shall be filed by the Municipal Clerk with the State Treasurer within 10 days of adoption.
C. 
"Child" shall mean a deceased first aid worker's, rescue squad worker's or emergency medical technician's unmarried child under the age of 18 or 18 years of age or older and enrolled in a secondary school or under the age of 24 and enrolled in a degree program in an institution or higher education for at least 12 credit hours in each semester or of any age who, at the time of the first aid worker's, rescue squad worker's or emergency medical technician's death, is disabled because of mental retardation or physical incapacity and is unable to do any substantial, gainful work because of the impairment and the impairment has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as affirmed by the medical profession.
D. 
"Parent" shall mean the parent of a first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician who was receiving at least 1/2 of his or her support from the first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician in the twelve-month period immediately preceding that volunteer's death. The dependency of such parent will be considered terminated by marriage of the parent subsequent to the death of the member.
[Added 7-19-2004 by Ord. No. 04-20]
There is hereby provided a Township pension annually paid by the Township to the widow, widower or minor children of volunteer first aid workers, rescue squad workers or emergency medical technicians who shall die as the direct result of injuries sustained in the course of performance of duties while serving as a member of a volunteer first aid or rescue squad serving the Township of Bridgewater, named in § 23-14 hereof.
[Amended 7-19-2004 by Ord. No. 04-20]
If a state survivor's pension is granted, it shall be for the sum of $15,000, annually, paid to the surviving spouse during his or her period of widowhood or to the child or children of such first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician, if he or she leaves no surviving spouse, or to such child or children after the death of such spouse; $10,000, annually, paid to the child or children of such first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician, if the surviving spouse remarries; or $5,000, annually, paid to the parent or parents of such first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician, if he or she leaves no surviving spouse or child.
[Added 7-19-2004 by Ord. No. 04-20]
Such Township pension shall be in the amount of $5,000 annually and paid to the widow or widower if a volunteer first aid or rescue squad worker shall die with a spouse surviving and during his or her widowhood only, or if no spouse shall survive such death, then to the appointed guardian of the minor child or children of such volunteer first aid or rescue squad worker, in equal shares, or the survivor of them after the death of such widow or widower, subject to the provisions and limitations contained in this section. Such Township pension shall terminate if the widow or widower remarries, whether or not minor children of such volunteer first aid or rescue squad worker are then surviving. In the event payments are made hereunder to a minor or minors, there being no widow or widower surviving, then such payment shall terminate upon the obtaining of age 18 years by such minor or minors.
The Township of Bridgewater shall make such investigation as it shall deem necessary to determine if a death, in fact, shall have resulted from injuries sustained in the course of performance of duty as a member of a recognized volunteer first aid or rescue squad, which determination shall be final.
This article shall become effective immediately upon adoption and publication according to law, except that payments shall not commence hereunder until sufficient moneys have been appropriated and made available in the municipal budget for any year in which payments are obligated to be paid. Payments shall be made on the basis of a proof of claim form provided by the Township of Bridgewater or an insurance carrier, as the case may be.
[Amended 7-19-2004 by Ord. No. 04-20]
Payments under the terms of this article shall be limited to the surviving spouse, minor children or parent of any volunteer first aid worker, rescue squad worker or emergency medical technician who has sustained injuries which resulted in death and who are members of the following volunteer first aid or rescue squads which are hereby determined to service the Township of Bridgewater:
A. 
Bradley Gardens First Aid and Rescue Squad, Inc.
B. 
Finderne First Aid and Rescue Squad, Inc.
C. 
Green Knoll Rescue Squad, Inc.
D. 
Martinsville Rescue Squad, Inc.