58-85-1. Application of fund.

The money paid into the hands of the treasurer of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association shall be known and remain as the "Firefighters' Relief Fund" of North Carolina, and shall be used as a fund for the relief of firefighters and county fire marshals, who are members of this Association, who may be injured or rendered sick by disease contracted in the actual discharge of duty as firefighters or county fire marshals, and for the relief of surviving spouses, children, and if there be no surviving spouse or children, then dependent mothers of the firefighters and county fire marshals killed or dying from disease so contracted in the discharge of duty; to be paid in the manner and in the sums to the individuals of the classes herein named and described as may be provided for and determined upon in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the Association, and any provisions and determinations made under the constitution and bylaws shall be final and conclusive as to the persons entitled to benefits and as to the amount of benefit to be received, and no action at law shall be maintained against the Association to enforce any claim or recover any benefit under this Article or under the constitution and bylaws of the Association; but if any officer or committee of the Association omit or refuse to perform any duty imposed upon the officer or them, nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent any proceedings against that officer or committee to compel the officer or them to perform that duty. Notwithstanding the above provisions, the Executive Board of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association is hereby authorized to grant educational scholarships to members and the children of members, to subsidize premium payments of members over 65 years of age to the Firemen's Fraternal Insurance Fund of the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association, and to provide accidental death and dismemberment insurance for members of fire departments.