(a) The membership of the volunteer retirement system shall include only those members who are certified by the last board of directors of the volunteer retirement system as of February 1, 1966, to be receiving pension benefits or are to be eligible for pension benefits in the future.

(b) When any volunteer firefighter who is certified by the last board of trustees of the volunteer retirement system as being eligible for benefits under this article or a retirant shall die, the board shall appropriate from the fund, if the fund contains such amount, the sum of $100.00 as a death benefit, to be paid to the surviving spouse or family of the deceased. If there is no surviving spouse or family, the sum shall revert to and remain a part of the pension fund. (Code 1979, § 15-120)