KANSAS STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
The Firemen's Relief Act was amended in 1905 to provide that the Superintendent of Insurance shall deduct 3% of the amount collected for Firemen's Relief Funds for all cities except those having fully paid Fire Departments, and pay the same to the Kansas State Firemen's Association. Records in the Insurance Department indicate that the total collections for the Firemen's Relief Fund for the year ending December 21, 1905 amounted to $32,734.55. The deduction of 3% as created by the revised provisions was deducted from all 125 participating cities except Atchison, Fort Scott, Kansas City, Leavenworth, Pittsburg, Topeka and Wichita. The total of 3% deductions amounted to $550.61 which was paid to the Kansas State Firemen's Association.
From inception through December 31, 1979, the Kansas State Firemen's Association received a total amount of $534,399.18 from the Commissioner of Insurance in connection with the collection of the Firemen's Relief Fund Tax.
Prior to 1957, the Kansas State Firemen's Association received money only from cities which maintained a regulatory organized volunteer fire department. In other words, prior to 1957 the Commissioner of Insurance deducted 3% of the money collected for cities with volunteer Fire Departments and paid this money to the Kansas State Firemen's Association. The old law provided that the money paid to the Kansas State Firemen's Association was to be used by the State Firemen's Association as regulated by it in the annual meetings of the association.
The 1957 legislature amended the Firemen's Relief Act to provide that the commissioner shall deduct 3% of the Firemen's Relief Tax collected for all cities and pay that amount over to the Kansas State Firemen's Association. In other words, the law was broadened to provide that the full-paid fire departments also contributed to the money sent to the Kansas State Firemen's Association. This change in the law was further emphasized by the amount which the commissioner mailed to the state association in 1958 covering the tax period ending December 31, 1957. In 1958, the commissioner mailed a check to the Kansas State Firemen's Association in an amount of $9,207.71. Prior to that time, the state association received only approximately $3,000.00 annually. In 1985, the Commissioner of Insurance mailed a check to the Kansas State Firefighters Association in an amount of $89,149.92 for its portion of the tax collected. Also, beginning that year the legislature authorized the Commissioner of Insurance to deduct 5 percent of the firefighters tax collected and pay it to the Kansas State Firefighters Association for a death benefit fund for participating firefighters. In 1985, this amount came to an additional $75,960.00.
The 1957 legislature further clarified that the money sent to the Kansas State Firefighters Association is to be used for theeducation and study of fire prevention and fire extinguishment. The additional money which has been made available through the years in connection with that last legislative amendment has provided a facility whereby regional fire schools can be conducted throughout the state from time to time. There seems to be no question as to the benefit received from the regional fire schools insofar as assisting and demonstrating to the volunteer fire departments, as well as the full-paid, a better understanding of fire prevention and fire extinguishment.
The Kansas State Firefighters Association, Inc. received $120,816.52 in 1993 which represented the 3% amount to be used for education and study of fire prevention and fire extinguishment. In addition, $70,980.00 was paid to the Kansas State Firefighters Association, Inc. to replenish the death benefit fund that they administer. In 1994, they have ten regional schools, one east rural and one west rural school, several special schools and the FRA workshop in November. Since these schools are funded by the Firefighters Relief Fund Tax and since there is no fee for attending, we sincerely suggest that any firefighter in the area of one of these schools take advantage of the opportunity to participate if possible. The "Firewire", which is the newsletter of the Kansas State Firefighters Association, Inc., contains the locations, dates and agenda for each fire school.