§ 15-127. Prior fire service.

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, and except as provided for in section 15-101, the years or fractional parts of years that a member previously served as a full-time firefighter with the city during a period of previous employment and for which period accumulated contributions were withdrawn from the fund, or the years and fractional parts of years that a member served as a full-time firefighter for any other municipal, county or special fire district in the state shall be added to his years of credited service provided that:

(1)

The member contributes to the fund the sum that he would have contributed, based on his salary and the member contribution rate in effect at the time that the credited service is requested, had he been a member of the system for the years or fractional parts of years for which he is requesting credit plus amounts actuarially determined such that the crediting of service does not result in any cost to the fund plus payment of costs for all professional services rendered to the board in connection with the purchase of years of credited service.

(2)

Multiple requests to purchase credited service pursuant to this section may be made at any time prior to retirement.

(3)

Payment by the firefighter of the required amount shall be made within six (6) months of his request for credit, but not later than the retirement date, and shall be made in one lump sum payment upon receipt of which credited service shall be given.

(4)

The maximum credit under this section for service other than with the city combined with service purchased pursuant to section 15-126, shall be five (5) years of credited service and shall count for all purposes, except vesting and eligibility for not-in-line of duty disability benefits. There shall be no maximum purchase of credit for prior service with the city and such credit shall count for all purposes, including vesting.

(5)

In no event, however, may credited service be purchased pursuant to this section for prior service with any other municipal, county or special fire district, if such prior service forms or will form the basis of a retirement benefit or pension from a different employer's retirement system or plan as set forth in section 15-115(l)(2).

(6)

For purposes of determining credit for prior service as a firefighter as provided for in this section, in addition to service as a firefighter in this state, credit may be purchased by the member in the same manner as provided above for federal, other state, municipal or county service if the prior service is recognized by the division of state fire marshal, as provided under F.S. ch. 633, or the firefighter provides proof to the board that such service is equivalent to the service required to meet the definition of a firefighter under section 15-101, definitions.

(Ord. No. 2007-32, § 1(Att.), 11-7-07; Ord. No. 2009-31, § 16, 11-4-09; Ord. No. 2013-06, § 2, 5-1-13; Ord. No. 2016-23, § 10, 5-18-16)