Village of Lewiston updates benefits agreement with fire company
Nov. 7—The Village of Lewiston has updated its Length of Service Award Program it has with Lewiston Fire Co. #1, with the volunteer firefighters getting a boost in benefits.
LOSAP programs are offered by volunteer emergency service organizations like fire departments to provide certain benefits as a way to attract new members.
The original LOSAP agreement dates back to when the state first allowed them in the mid-1990s with Lewiston Fire Co. #1 working with Affordable Benefit Concepts out of Syracuse on its plan. After that company went out of business four years ago, the program was taken over by Firefly Admin Inc. out of Albany.
"What they've done with the new plan is bring it more into how it should be in this time," said fire company Treasurer Les Myers.
The biggest changes involve retirement benefits and life insurance offered to its volunteers. For each year of service a firefighter who started after 2006 puts into the department, they are eligible for $20 per year of service credit as a retirement benefit. The maximum amount someone can get is $800 for 40 years of service, which is paid out through the village.
The original insurance offered had been a term life insurance available to all members, then sold off as they reached retirement age to fund the program further. The program is now self-insured.
