This act applies to a fire fighter who suffers a disability and to the surviving spouse or dependents of a fire fighter who is killed as the result of safeguarding life and property outside the fire fighter’s jurisdiction from damage due to explosion, fire, or other disaster, however caused, or in transportation to or from a fire, explosion, or other disaster, however caused, outside the fire fighter’s jurisdiction, during the emergency defined in section 1. However, a fire fighter or an employee of a fire department, or the surviving spouse or dependents of the fire fighter or employee, in municipalities or villages of this state having charter provisions prescribing insurance or benefits shall receive from the state the benefits provided by this act. The village or municipality may, in accordance with its charter provisions, pay to the employee, the surviving spouse of the employee, or his or her dependents, the difference between the benefits provided by this act and the benefits provided for by the municipalities or villages, but shall pay no more than the difference. Any contributions made by the employee to any benefit fund or protective association independent of the charter of the municipality shall be taken into consideration in determining the compensation to be paid under this act.