ARTICLE 6. Firefighters [19886. - 19886.2.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 6.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19886. Section 19886.

As used in this article the term “firefighter of the state” or “firefighter” shall be deemed to include a member of a fire department or fire service of the state, including the University of California, whether these members are volunteer, partly paid, or fully paid, excepting those whose principal duties are clerical, such as stenographers, telephone operators and other workers not engaged in fire-suppression or rescue operations or the protection or preservation of life or property. These firefighters shall be regularly employed, or in the case of a volunteer, shall be regularly enrolled as such.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19886.1. Section 19886.1.

Whenever any firefighter of the state dies or is disabled from performing his or her duties as a firefighter by reason of his or her proceeding to or engaging in a fire-suppression or rescue operation, or the protection or preservation of life or property, anywhere in this state, including the jurisdiction in which he or she is employed, but is not at the time acting under the immediate direction of his or her employer, he or she, or his or her dependents, as the case may be, shall be accorded by his or her employer all of the same benefits of the workers’ compensation law, which he, she, or they would have received had that firefighter been acting under the immediate direction of his or her employer. Any injury, disability or death incurred under the circumstances described in this section shall be deemed to have arisen out of and been sustained in the course of employment for purposes of workers’ compensation and all other benefits.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19886.2. Section 19886.2.

Nothing in this article shall be deemed to: (a) Require the extension of any benefits to a firefighter who at the time of his or her injury, death, or disability is acting for compensation from one other than the state. (b) Require the extension of any benefits to a firefighter employed by the state where by state departmental regulation, whether now in force or hereafter enacted or promulgated, the activity giving rise to the injury, disability, or death, is expressly prohibited.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026