Nonprofit first responders need pensions, too

Day in and day out, firefighters and emergency medical service professionals (EMS) risk their lives to protect our communities. We hope we never need them, but they always stand ready to answer our call for help when we do.

In North Carolina, many fire departments operate as nonprofit organizations and do not receive the same benefits as their traditional counterparts. In the late 1900s, these entities were formed in large part to serve rural communities that did not have adequate coverage, contracting with either a municipality or county. They serve a critical role and follow the same guidelines and state ratings for both personnel and equipment.

As our state’s population has grown, nonprofit departments have hired full-time employees to handle the increased workload. Over 5,500 individuals currently serve in this capacity, providing 24/7 emergency response services. It is only fitting that these dedicated public servants would have access to a pension for retirement like other career firefighters and EMS professionals that are employed by local governments.

In 1999, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation that allowed nonprofit departments to join the Local Government Retirement System. Unfortunately, it was overturned due to conflicts with federal IRS regulations. Although they function like local government forces, nonprofit fire departments no longer have access to the same benefits.

Increased call volume, less time off, and increased training requirements are a few of the contributing factors to our forces being spread dangerously thin. Nonprofit departments are a fundamental part of our first responder network, and their absence would have significant consequences. We cannot delay action to take care of those who sacrifice so much to keep our communities safe.

This week, I reintroduced the First Responders Retirement Parity Act, to fix the gaps in the IRS code that are preventing nonprofit firefighters from receiving retirement benefits they rightfully earned through their service. My bill would amend the IRS code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to include full-time nonprofit firefighters and EMS professionals in governmental pension plans.

Emergencies require swift responses, and adequate resources are critical to meet this demand. With one of the largest rural populations in the country and many regions susceptible to devastating hurricanes and flooding, North Carolina benefits greatly from our fire departments. They provide vital services in times of need and are often the difference between life and death for many.

It is past due that full-time firefighters and EMS personnel in nonprofit departments be able to participate in the pension system for their contributions to our communities. This is not just about fair compensation; it is crucial to sustaining North Carolina’s emergency response system.