A. Any volunteer firefighter who is appointed as a paid firefighter and serves less than ten (10) years as a paid firefighter shall be entitled to receive one-twentieth (1/20) of a volunteer pension earned over twenty (20) years for each full year served as a volunteer firefighter and one-twentieth of one-half (1/20 of 1/2) of the average salary received for each full year the firefighter served as a paid firefighter.

B. Any volunteer firefighter who is appointed as a paid firefighter after May 15, 1992, and serves ten (10) or more years as a paid firefighter, shall be entitled to credit no more than five (5) years of volunteer time to complete a twenty-year paid service pension with remaining volunteer time computed at one-twentieth (1/20) of a volunteer pension earned over twenty (20) years for each additional volunteer year.

C. For purposes of determining benefits pursuant to this section, total credited service for paid and volunteer service shall not exceed thirty (30) years; provided, the most recent years of service shall be used in determining total credited service for paid and volunteer service.

D. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to create an eligibility for pension which is not otherwise provided by law.