§ 58-85-1. Application of fund.
Article 85.
State Appropriation.
§ 58‑85‑1. Application of fund.
The money paid into the handsof the treasurer of the North Carolina State Firemen's Association shall beknown and remain as the "Firefighters' Relief Fund" of NorthCarolina, and shall be used as a fund for the relief of firefighters and countyfire marshals, who are members of this Association, who may be injured orrendered sick by disease contracted in the actual discharge of duty asfirefighters or county fire marshals, and for the relief of surviving spouses,children, and if there be no surviving spouse or children, then dependentmothers of the firefighters and county fire marshals killed or dying fromdisease so contracted in the discharge of duty; to be paid in the manner and inthe sums to the individuals of the classes herein named and described as may beprovided for and determined upon in accordance with the constitution and bylawsof the Association, and any provisions and determinations made under theconstitution and bylaws shall be final and conclusive as to the personsentitled to benefits and as to the amount of benefit to be received, and noaction at law shall be maintained against the Association to enforce any claimor recover any benefit under this Article or under the constitution and bylawsof the Association; but if any officer or committee of the Association omit orrefuse to perform any duty imposed upon the officer or them, nothing hereincontained shall be construed to prevent any proceedings against that officer orcommittee to compel the officer or them to perform that duty. No firefighter orcounty fire marshal shall be entitled to receive any benefits under thissection until the firefighters' relief fund of his city or town has beenexhausted. Notwithstanding the above provisions, the Executive Board of theNorth Carolina State Firemen's Association is hereby authorized to granteducational scholarships to members and the children of members, to subsidizepremium payments of members over 65 years of age to the Firemen's FraternalInsurance Fund of the North Carolina State Firemen's Association, and toprovide accidental death and dismemberment insurance for members of those firedepartments not eligible for benefits pursuant to standards of certificationadopted by the State Firemen's Association for the use of local relief funds. (1891, c. 468, s. 3; Rev., s.4393; C.S., s. 6058; 1925, c. 41; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1215; 1987, c.174, s. 4; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 678, s. 33; 2004‑199, s. 22(a);2007‑246, s. 1.)