20 V.S.A. § 3171 Definitions
3171. Definitions
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Board” means the Emergency Personnel Survivors Benefit Review Board.
(2) “Child” means a natural or legally adopted child, regardless of age.
(3) “Emergency personnel” means:
(A) firefighters as defined in subdivision 3151(3) of this title;
(B) emergency medical personnel and volunteer personnel as defined in 24 V.S.A. § 2651;
(C) law enforcement officers who have been certified by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council pursuant to section 2358 of this title;
(D) facility employees of the Department of Corrections and Department of Corrections employees who provide direct security and treatment services to offenders under supervision in the community;
(E) classified family services employees in the Family Services Division of the Department for Children and Families; and
(F) classified medical employees of State-operated therapeutic community residences or inpatient psychiatric hospital units.
(4) “Line of duty” means:
(A) with respect to firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and volunteer personnel:
(i) service in answer to a call of the department or service for a fire or emergency, including going to and returning from a fire or emergency or participating in a fire or emergency training drill; or
(ii) similar service in another town or district to which the department or service has been called for firefighting or emergency purposes;
(B) with respect to law enforcement officers:
(i) service as a law enforcement officer in answer to a complaint lodged with the department or in response to a disorder, including going to, returning from, and investigating or responding to the complaint or disorder; or
(ii) service under orders from the department or in any emergency for which the law enforcement officer serves as a law enforcement officer;
(C) with respect to covered employees of the Department of Corrections, discharging their duties as employees;
(D) with respect to classified family services employees in the Family Services Division of the Department for Children and Families, discharging their duties as employees; and
(E) with respect to classified medical employees of State-operated therapeutic community residences or inpatient psychiatric hospital units, discharging their duties as employees.
(5) “Occupation-related illness” means a disease that directly arises out of, and in the course of, service, including a heart injury or disease symptomatic within 72 hours from the date of last service in the line of duty, which shall be presumed to be incurred in the line of duty.
(6) “Parent” means a natural or adoptive parent.
(7) “Survivor” means a spouse, child, or parent of emergency personnel.
Added 2001, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2005, No. 33, § 1; 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 400, eff. July 1, 2022; 2025, No. 102 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2026.