Firefighters and union seek word change to let call firefighters buy back service from any department

Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts and witnesses asked the Joint Committee on Public Service to report favorably on legislation that would allow former call (volunteer) firefighters to buy back service credit from any fire department, rather than only from the department where they later became full‑time employees.

Paul Jakes, legislative agent for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, described House Bill 2883 and Senate Bill 1915 as a “word change” to clarify existing buyback language. He said current statutory language limits call firefighter buyback to the same fire department where a member later works; the proposed change would allow buyback of time served at “any fire department.”

“This will change it to any fire department, and from our understanding is in the same, chapter language. The police have that as well, and theirs says any and ours says the. It's in the same paragraph,” Jakes said, arguing the change is parity with police and would permit firefighters who served as volunteers at other departments to have their prior time recognized.

Witnesses said the change is intended to help firefighters who did volunteer work elsewhere before securing a full‑time job, and that the purchase remains a member-paid buyback rather than a benefit expansion paid by the system. Jakes asked the committee for a favorable report; no committee vote was recorded during the session.

Ending: Committee members did not take a formal action during the hearing; witnesses asked for favorable reporting to correct what they described as a drafting inconsistency in buyback language.