A bill in the Pennsylvania Statehouse would make sure all active-duty firefighters have access to the State Worker's Insurance Fund, being denied access to compensation from this fund is a problem some volunteer companies have faced when members got hurt on the job.
Volunteer firefighters injured while fighting a fire have access to the State Worker's Insurance Fund, but that line gets blurred when they get hurt doing other jobs for the fire company.
"What there was a little question about was the people that support the fire company through raising funds at their carnivals," said Jerry Ozog, Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute Executive Director. "And chicken dinners, and those type of things."
Senate Bill 94, introduced by State Sen. Scott Martin, would make it clear who exactly is covered by the State Workers' Insurance Fund, also known as SWIF, when they're hurt.