Creditable service is defined as eligible service for any period during which you paid and maintained contributions in the fund or for which you purchased service credit in the fund. 

Creditable service as either a firefighter or rescue squad worker counts toward membership in the fund. However, if you work and/or volunteer both as a firefighter and as a rescue squad worker during the same month, you can only receive one month of pension fund credit for that month. 

Once you meet these requirements and begin receiving your pension fund benefit, you can continue to receive your benefit while you continue to work or return to work as a paid or volunteer firefighter or rescue squad worker.

After 10 years of creditable service, if you become totally and permanently disabled (as approved by the pension fund’s Medical Review Board) and can no longer perform the duties of a firefighter or rescue squad worker, you are eligible for disability retirement status. If your disability is the result of a non-duty related activity, you must continue to pay monthly into the fund until you have paid for 20 years. At age 55, you may apply to receive your monthly benefit provided you have made contributions for 20 years. 

If you become totally and permanently disabled (as approved by the pension fund’s Medical Review Board) while performing your duties as a firefighter or rescue squad worker, you may apply to receive a monthly pension when you reach age 55. After being approved for a line-of-duty disability, you will no longer have to make contributions to the pension fund.

If you leave your department or squad before retirement, you may still receive a benefit at a later date, if you have not withdrawn your contributions. If you leave for any reason, you are eligible to apply for your benefit at age 55 provided you have completed 20 years of creditable service, and have paid contributions for 20 years. 

Normally, if you leave the fund before you have 20 years of creditable service, the only payment you can receive is a refund of your contributions.

You may continue as a member of the pension fund even if your home or fire department/rescue squad location is affected by an annexation, and as a result, you can no longer serve as a firefighter/rescue squad worker. If you have 10 years of service at the time of annexation, you may continue contributing monthly until you have paid for 20 years. You are eligible to apply for your benefit at age 55 provided you have contributed for 20 years.