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<section article="gps" article_name="Public Safety" number="7-203" title_number="7" title_name="Fire, Rescue, or Emergency Medical Services Entities" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Members of Volunteer Fire Companies and Rescue Squads">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Board shall pay death benefits under this section if a member of a volunteer fire company or member of a volunteer rescue squad dies:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>as a direct result of actively participating in fighting a fire;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>while going to or from a fire;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>while performing other duties necessary to the operation or maintenance of the fire company;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>while actively participating in the ambulance, advanced life support, or rescue work of a volunteer advanced life support unit or volunteer fire, ambulance, or rescue company located in the State; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>while providing emergency or rescue assistance, whether acting alone or at the direction of or with a fire, ambulance, or rescue company or advanced life support unit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A benefit under this subsection shall be paid:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>regardless of the district in which the decedent died; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>regardless of whether the decedent died in this State, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Board shall pay a benefit under this section from the treasury of the Maryland State Firefighters Association in the amount that the Board determines, but not less than $2,000.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Board shall pay a benefit under this subsection:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>to the decedent’s surviving spouse or dependent child;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if no individual is eligible under item (i) of this paragraph, to the decedent’s surviving dependent parent;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>if no individual is eligible under item (i) or (ii) of this paragraph, to each surviving child of the decedent in equal shares;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>if no individual is eligible under item (i), (ii), or (iii) of this paragraph, to the decedent’s surviving parent; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>if no individual is eligible under item (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this paragraph, to each surviving sister, brother, or grandparent of the decedent in equal shares.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If there is a surviving spouse or dependent child:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>until the surviving spouse remarries, the surviving spouse is entitled to receive a pension from the Maryland State Firefighters Association; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>until the dependent child becomes an adult, each dependent child is entitled to receive a pension from the Maryland State Firefighters Association.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Board shall pay a benefit under this subsection from the treasury of the Maryland State Firefighters Association in the amount, at the times, and in the installments that the Board determines.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The secretary of the Board shall add the name of each beneficiary under this subsection to the Disabled Firefighter’s and Rescue Squad Person’s List.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
