Jones Co. provides workers’ comp to VFDs

June 08, 2009 10:38 am

— Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna supports State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney’s plan to push state legislators to provide disability insurance for Mississippi’s volunteer firefighters.
“Like some of the other rural areas, Jones County does not really have insurance in place right now for our volunteer firefighters,” said McKenna. “They get workers’ comp through our board of supervisors.”
“When you look at wages affiliated with the position, you must remember these firefighters are volunteers who don’t get any wages. They don’t receive any money if they are injured and miss work unless their employers select to pay them.”
McKenna explained that the majority of Jones County’s nearly 400 volunteer firefighters work full-time jobs. On some occasions they may be eligible for workers’ comp, but Mississippi has one of the lowest rates in the country.
Jones County Supervisor Johnny Burnett said the workers’ comp insurance supervisors provide volunteer firefighters pays “if they get injured on the way to a fire or if they get injured on the scene. It’s something we have been doing for several years now,” he said.
In Chaney’s plan, insurance would pay the salaries of volunteers who are hurt while extinguishing blazes and can’t work their regular jobs. Chaney said he probably will pitch legislation next year that would create state-paid disability insurance. He hasn’t released figures on how much this will cost taxpayers.
Today, if Jones County firefighters want additional insurance coverage, their only alternative is to take the initiative of buying personal insurance policies to cover their firefighter duties.
“In these economic times, there is a slim chance of that happening,” added McKenna. “There is also a slim chance of an employer paying a volunteer firefighter if they have to miss work because they were injured on the firefighter job.
“I’m supporting Mr. Chaney’s plan 100 percent. We need to be looking at things proactively and do anything we can do to support our volunteers.”
The truth be told, McKenna said volunteer firefighters have saved taxpayers a lot of money. Without their services, people would have to pay high taxes and higher homeowner insurance, he said.
“They don’t have to volunteer their time and services, but they do so,” he said. “We appreciate all they do.”
And while these volunteer firefighters join the various departments out of a desire to serve, help and protect others, Chief Ronnie McGilberry of the Ellisville Volunteer Fire Department can’t help but to hope that Chaney’s plan is met with approval when it is presented to the legislature.
“It would be good for the firefighters,” he said. “They are willing to go out of their way to help people because they care about people and they are concerned about their communities. I think they deserve something. Plus, it would help us recruit other firefighters.”
McKenna said to meet the call demands placed on Jones County volunteer fire departments, an additional 200 volunteers are needed. This would increase the volunteer firefighter staff to 600. Jones County has 19 stations in six fire districts.
“This insurance would be a great help to volunteer firefighters who volunteer their time and buy their own gas to get to the different places they are called to,” said McGilberry. “These people go in and place themselves in harms way with no kind of insurance — just nothing.”

Photos

Several local volunteer firefighters and first responders spent their Saturday learning rescue techniques involving a school bus. Workers’ compensation is provided to local volunteer fire departments, but they are not covered by insurance — something many would liked changed.