What is AVFRA?

The AVFRA (Apple Valley Fire Relief Association) is a nonprofit corporation that exists to provide a retirement incentive for the Apple Valley Fire Department paid on-call firefighters. The Relief Association is considered a governmental entity. Therefore, we have similar rights, duties and responsibilities as other governmental entities, such as a city. As a governmental entity, the Relief Association manages the retirement money for our firefighters, so that he or she has a good retirement benefit. The hope is that this will allow cities to recruit and retain great, well-trained, experienced people to provide fire suppression services to our community.

Who Can Join the AVFRA?

All Apple Valley firefighters are offered membership in the Association. Membership is voluntary. But, if you don’t join, you won’t get a retirement benefit from the Relief Association. To join, the firefighter should fill out an application and submit it to the Board of Trustees. Contact the Secretary of the Relief Association to get an application for membership. Once you join, you will remain a member unless you are suspended from the Fire Department or the Association.

Who Runs the AVFRA?

A Board of Trustees Administers the Relief Association. Trustees are elected from the membership at large of the Relief Association. One of the  members of the Board of Trustees may be a retired member, receiving a monthly service pension. Trustees serve on the board because the law requires them to. One member of the Board is the Fire Chief, and others are municipal officials representing Apple Valley. Each elected Trustee serves a term of service and are elected at an annual meeting.

Is the Relief Association Part of the City?

No, the Relief Association is a separate non-profit corporation. The City of Apple Valley is called the “plan sponsor”, in that they sponsor the pension plan by providing funding to it. Therefore, public officials sit on the board of Trustees. The public has an interest in seeing the retirement benefit offered to the firefighters is good enough to retain well trained, experienced people.

Is the Relief Association Part of The Fire Department?

No, the Relief Association is a separate legal entity from the Fire Department. Its purpose is to provide benefits to Fire Department members. The Relief Association is governed by the Bylaws and Policies voted on by its members. The Apple Valley Fire Department’s policies and procedures are determined by its own methods. The Fire Chief does, however, sit on the Board of Trustees.