Governor Tate Reeves this week announced that he signed House Bill 521 which creates the Mississippi Length-of-Service Award Program for volunteer firefighters. The legislation will help to recruit, retain, and reward more volunteer firefighters across the state.

 “When Mississippians are in their greatest moments of need, our firefighters are there for them. They run into burning buildings and put their lives on the line for others,” said Reeves. 

“This new program recognizes the sacrifices our volunteer firefighters make and is a small token of our tremendous appreciation for them.”

The program creates individual accounts in which each firefighter can have up to $500 a year deposited by the state based on his or her service.

Those dollars accumulate and can then be accessed upon retirement, which will help recruit, retain, and reward volunteer firefighters.