636                                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                           [Ch. 108

(2) ANY PERSON WHO DISCONTINUED ACTIVE
VOLUNTEER SERVICE PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 1974 MAY RECEIVE
CREDIT FOR THE SERVICE AFTER BEING CERTIFIED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 126D.

(B)    BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1974, ANY PERSON WHO HAS
REACHED THE AGE OF 60 AND WHO HAS COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF
25 YEARS OF CERTIFIED ACTIVE VOLUNTEER SERVICE, WITH ANY
CHARLES COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY OR VOLUNTEER RESCUE
SQUAD OR COMBINATION THEREOF, SHALL RECEIVE BENEFITS IN
THE AMOUNT OF $100 PER MONTH, FOR LIFE. PAYMENTS SHALL
BEGIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH FOLLOWING
ELIGIBILITY. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF CHARLES COUNTY AND PAYMENTS SHALL
BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE VOLUNTEER ENTITLED TO SUCH
BENEFITS.

(C)    AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OF $2 PER MONTH SHALL BE
ADDED TO THE BENEFITS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION [[(A)]] (B)
OF THIS SECTION, FOR EACH FULL YEAR OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE
IN EXCESS OF 25 YEARS, PROVIDING THAT A MAXIMUM BENEFIT
OF $150 PER MONTH OR EQUIVALENT SHALL BE PAYABLE TO ANY
INDIVIDUAL.

(D)    IN THE EVENT THAT ANY ACTIVE VOLUNTEER BECOMES
DISABLED DURING THE COURSE OF HIS OR HER SERVICE AS A
VOLUNTEER FIREMAN OR RESCUE SQUADSMEN WHILE ACTIVELY
ENGAGED IN PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES AND IN THE EVENT THAT
THE DISABILITY PREVENTS THE VOLUNTEER FROM PURSUING HIS
NORMAL OCCUPATION AND THAT THE DISABILITY IS OF A
PERMANENT NATURE AS CERTIFIED BY THE MARYLAND WORKMEN'S
COMPENSATION COMMISSION OR OTHER COMPETENT MEDICAL
AUTHORITY AS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
CHARLES COUNTY, THEN THE VOLUNTEER IS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE
THE BENEFITS PRESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (B) AND ANY SUCH
BENEFITS AS HE MAY BE ENTITLED TO REGARDLESS OF HIS OR
HER AGE OR LENGTH OF SERVICE. THESE BENEFITS SHALL BEGIN
ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH FOLLOWING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PERMANENCY OF HIS OR HER DISABILITY.

(E)    IN THE EVENT THAT ANY QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER
SHALL DIE WHILE RECEIVING BENEFITS, THEN HIS OR HER
SURVIVING SPOUSE IS ENTITLED TO BENEFITS EQUAL TO 50
PERCENT OF THE VOLUNTEER'S BENEFITS. THESE BENEFITS
SHALL TERMINATE UPON DEATH OR REMARRIAGE OF THE SPOUSE.

(F)    IN THE EVENT THAT A QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER DIES
PRIOR TO RECEIVING ANY BENEFITS UNDER THIS SECTION, HIS
OR HER SURVIVING SPOUSE IS ENTITLED TO BENEFITS EQUAL TO
50 PERCENT OF THE BENEFITS EARNED BY THE DECEASED
VOLUNTEER. THESE BENEFITS SHALL TERMINATE UPON DEATH OR
REMARRIAGE. A QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER IS DEFINED AS ONE WHO
HAS COMPLETED 25 YEARS OF CERTIFIED SERVICE.