Certain impairments of health; presumption

§ 63-h. Certain impairments of health; presumption. a. Any member of the retirement system employed by the division of military and naval affairs shall be eligible to retire pursuant to the provisions of this section if he or she is an airport firefighter apprentice, airport firefighter I, airport firefighter II, airport firefighter III or training and safety officer.

b. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or of any general or special law to the contrary, any condition of impairment of health caused by: (1) diseases of the heart; or (2) any (i) melanoma or (ii) condition of cancer affecting the lymphatic, digestive, hematological, urinary, neurological, breast, reproductive or prostate systems resulting in disability to a member covered by this section, presently employed, who successfully passed a physical examination on entry into service as an airport firefighter apprentice, airport firefighter I, airport firefighter II, airport firefighter III or training and safety officer which examination failed to reveal evidence of any disease or other impairment of the heart or such melanoma or condition, shall be presumptive evidence that it was incurred in the performance and discharge of duty, unless the contrary be proven by competent evidence and shall be paid a performance of duty disability retirement allowance equal to that which is provided in section sixty-three of this title, subject to the provisions of section sixty-four of this title.

c. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or of any general or special law to the contrary, any condition of impairment of health caused by diseases of the lung, resulting in disability to a member covered by this section, presently employed, who successfully passed a physical examination on entry into service as an airport firefighter apprentice, airport firefighter I, airport firefighter II, airport firefighter III or training and safety officer, which examination failed to disclose evidence of any disease or other impairment of the lung, shall be presumptive evidence that it was incurred in the performance and discharge of duty, unless the contrary be proven by competent evidence and shall be paid a performance of duty disability retirement allowance equal to that which is provided in section sixty-three of this title, subject to the provisions of section sixty-four of this title.

d. After the filing of an application such member shall be given one or more medical examinations. If the comptroller determines that the member is physically or mentally incapacitated for the performance of duty and ought to be retired for performance of duty disability, such member shall be so retired. Such retirement shall be effective as of a date approved by the comptroller.

e. If the member, at the time of the filing of such application, is eligible for a service retirement benefit, then and in that event, such member may simultaneously file an application for service retirement, provided that the member indicates on the application for service retirement that such application is filed without prejudice to the application for performance of duty disability retirement.