Section 7-314a - Death, disability and injury benefits. Presumption(a) Except as provided in subsections (e) and (f) of this section, active members of volunteer fire departments and active members of organizations certified as a volunteer ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180 shall be construed to be employees of the municipality for the benefit of which volunteer fire services or such ambulance services are rendered while in training or engaged in volunteer fire duty or such ambulance service and shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Workers' Compensation Commission and shall be compensated in accordance with the provisions of chapter 568 for death, disability or injury incurred while in training for or engaged in volunteer fire duty or such ambulance service.(b) For the purpose of this section, the average weekly wage of a volunteer fireman or volunteer ambulance service member shall be construed to be the average production wage in the state as determined by the Labor Commissioner under the provisions of section 31-309.(c) For the purpose of this section, there shall be no prorating of compensation benefits because of other employment by a volunteer fireman or volunteer ambulance service provider.(d) For the purpose of adjudication of claims for the payment of benefits under the provisions of chapter 568, any condition of impairment of health occurring to an active member of a volunteer fire department or organization certified as a volunteer ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180 while such member is in training for or engaged in volunteer fire duty or such ambulance service, caused by hypertension or heart disease resulting in death or temporary or permanent total or partial disability, shall be presumed to have been suffered in the line of duty and within the scope of his employment, provided such member had previously successfully passed a physical examination by a licensed physician appointed by such department or ambulance service which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition.(e) Any member of a volunteer fire company or department or organization certified as a volunteer ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180 performing fire duties or such ambulance service pursuant to a mutual aid understanding between municipalities shall be entitled to all benefits pursuant to this section and shall be construed to be an employee of the municipality in which his fire company or department or such ambulance service is located.(f) Any member of a volunteer fire company or department and any temporary emergency worker utilized under subsection (d) of section 23-37, who performs fire duties under the direction of the State Forest Fire Warden, state forest fire personnel or district or deputy fire warden under the supervision of the State Forest Fire Warden pursuant to section 23-37, shall be construed to be an employee of the state for the purpose of receiving compensation in accordance with the provisions of chapter 568 for death, disability or injury incurred while performing such fire duties under such direction.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-314a
(1967, P.A. 892, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 464, S. 1; P.A. 79-376, S. 10; P.A. 89-22, S. 2, 3; P.A. 95-243, S. 1; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 84, 88; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-10, S. 4, 7.)
Amended by P.A. 19-0037,S. 2 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2019. Workmen's compensation commissioners have jurisdiction over claims arising under statute; volunteer firemen injured on duty come within this section, not Sec. 31-310, although regularly employed in an industry. 159 Conn. 53. Section speaks to the conduct of towns. 209 Conn. 268. Cited. 220 C. 739; 223 C. 911; 224 C. 479. Cited. 15 Conn.App. 84; 37 CA 835; 38 CA 754. Term "fire duties" does not encompass conduct of volunteer firefighter departing firehouse to tend to his personal affairs. 180 CA 717. Cited. 44 Conn.Supp. 230. Subsec. (a): Volunteer firefighter's participation in basketball program arranged by the volunteer fire department does not constitute training. 281 C. 600. "In training for" means a person is being trained in fire duties, rather than in general physical fitness. 95 CA 52.