FIREMAN’S ASSOCIATION

CHARITY FUND BY-LAWS

FOUNDED:   1974 

Section 1       The Charity Fund will be set up and maintained as a separate division and will be governed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Central Western Firemen's Association Executive Board and Charity Fund Committee of the Central Western Firemen's Association.

Section 2        The Secretary and Treasurer for the Charity Fund shall be the Secretary and Treasurer of Central Western Firemen's Association.

Section 3       Membership in the Charity Fund: Any paid up member of the Central Western Firemen's Association is eligible to become a member of the Charity Fund providing membership fee is paid by April Ist. All departments that have become delinquent over thirty (30) days after April 1 of any dues paying year shall be withdrawn from the Charity Fund roster.

Section 4       Membership fees of the Charity Fund: The membership in the Charity Fund shall be five dollars ($5.00) per person per year for the first year, and one dollar ($1.00) per person per year thereafter. In the event that a member should leave the department, any replacements shall be classified as a new member and shall pay five dollars ($5.00) the first year only, and one dollar ($1.00) per year thereafter. The chief or secretary of the department, wishing to belong to the Charity Fund shall furnish the Charity Fund Secretary a roster of the personnel wishing to be covered, their first name, middle initial, last name, (no nicknames) and SSN or DOB. Dues are due upon receipt of roster sheet sent by Secretary of Central Western Firemen's Association, after Central Western Firemen's Association dues are paid. All checks to the Charity Fund shall be sent to the Charity Fund Secretary.

Section 5        Payment from the Charity Fund will be made in case of death of a member of the Charity Fund, while on active duty. Payment will be made to those on the roster that was furnished to the Charity Fund Secretary. Death by heart attacks while on active duty shall be included. Payment will also be made upon proof of death resulting from injury, while on active duty, if such claims are filed within two (2) years of the accident.

Section 6        Active duty shall mean from the time an alarm is sounded, until the officer in charge relieves him and until he returns home by the shortest route, or his place of business or work. All fire drills, schools and conferences and sporting or social activities sponsored or approved by the Chief of Department or organization shall be included in this category. Amount to be paid, the widow or surviving family of a member shall be three thousand-five hundred dollars ($ 3 ,500.00) base, with an additional one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each year the name appears on a Charity Fund roster sheet.

 Section 7       Payment of claims will be made upon notice to the Charity Fund Secretary, by the chief or secretary of the department in which the death occurred. The chief of the department reporting the death will then within ten (10) days make a complete report of the accident and send it to the Charity Fund Secretary. After a review of the report by the Executive Committee they shall have the right to conduct an investigation into the accident for claim justification. It should be impressed upon all chiefs that the Charity Fund was set up by its founders as an emergency cash fund for the widow or family of any member who lost their life in the line of duty, and as such with the expedient handling by the chief, the Charity Fund Secretary and Treasurer, the payment of the claim can be made within 24 hours of the accident. The Executive Committee reserves the right to make partial payments (totaling the original amount) in the event of major disaster.

Section 8        The books of the Charity Fund Secretary and the Charity Fund Treasurer shall be audited each year by the audit committee and a report made at the conference meeting of the association.

Section 9        All checks drawn on the Charity Fund account shall be signed by the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Charity Fund. Custodian of the funds of the Charity Fund shall be in a local bank of the Charity Fund Treasurer, and insured by the federal government.

Section 10     The salary of the Charity Fund Secretary and Treasurer shall be set by the Executive Board of the Central Western Firemen's Association.