AGO Opinion Topics: COVERAGE PAID FIREMEN

(1) A city or town which is participating in the state‑wide [[statewide]] city employees' retirement system may not cover its full-time paid firemen under the provisions of that retirement system because such firemen are eligible to be covered under either the paid firemen's pension system (chapters 41.16 and 41.18 RCW) or the volunteer firemen's pension system (chapter 41.24 RCW).(2) A city or town the fire department of which consists of both full-time paid firemen and volunteer firemen is permitted but not required to provide coverage for its paid firemen under the provisions of the firemen's relief and pension acts of 1947, and 1955 (chapters 41.16 and 41.18 RCW).(3) RCW 41.16.020 does not require that a city or town must have at least three full-time paid firemen before the paid firemen's pension system (chapters 41.16 and 41.18 RCW) can apply.