Who is ‘a qualifying participant’?  That, too, is simple:  if you are under the age of 48, a United States citizen, and an active member of a Fire Department or Rescue Squad who is a member of the Southern Wisconsin Northern Illinois Fire/Rescue Association, you can join the SWNIFRA Death Benefit Plan.  Restrictions are minimal:  normally, no medical examination is required, though a Health Form is to be signed by the participant.  The Plan does not require 100% membership of a Fire Department/Rescue Squad; any number of members of the Department/Squad may join the Benefit Plan.

 

A special feature of this Plan is that a member who joins prior to their 48th birthday may continue membership in the Plan regardless of age or residence, even after leaving the Fire/Rescue Service (in good standing) providing he or she has  five years of service with the Department/Squad. The participant must continue to pay the assessments as they become due to the Secretary of the Fire Department/Rescue Squad they were with at the time they left the Fire Service. 

 

BUT, PLEASE REMEMBER, SWNIFRA, Inc. and SWNIFRA Death Benefit, Inc., while affiliated organizations, are SEPARATE corporations with separate Boards and DIFFERENT SECRETARIES AND MAILING ADDRESSES.  Please DO NOT send Death Benefit forms and payments to SWNIFRA, Inc.’s Secretary/Treasurer Chantelle Mansfield.  This will delay their processing considerably, sometimes indefinitely as we may not receive them at all.  SWNIFRA, Inc. cannot be held responsible for Death Benefit mail sent to us.  And, conversely, please do not send SWNIFRA membership dues or Fire School correspondence to SWNIFRA Death Benefit.

 

If you are interested in or have business with the SWNIFRA Death Benefit Plan, please contact  Brenda Hill        

 

by phone at: (815) 654-2904        

 

or by mail at: