Whenever any member of a University of California fire department specified in Section 3212.4 falling within the active “firefighting and prevention service” class is disabled by injury arising out of and in the course of his duties, he shall become entitled, regardless of his period of service with a University of California fire department, to leave of absence while so disabled without loss of salary, in lieu of disability payments under this chapter, for a period of not exceeding one year. This section shall apply only to members of a University of California fire department whose principal duties consist of active firefighting and prevention service and shall not apply to persons employed in a University of California fire department whose principal duties are those of telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise clearly not falling within the scope of active firefighting and prevention service, even though such person is subject to occasional call or is occasionally called upon to perform duties within the scope of active firefighting and prevention service.

(Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 1149.)