§ 303. Provision of workmen's compensation for civil defense volunteers. A civil defense volunteer performing authorized civil defense services shall be deemed to be in special employment of his local office as defined in the state defense emergency act. Workmen's compensation benefits are provided in this article for disability or death proximately caused by injury in the course of such special employment without regard to fault as a cause of injury. Such special employment may be within the area under the jurisdiction of the local director in which civil defense volunteers of said local office are mobilized or outside such area where civil defense volunteers are operating in accordance with plans approved by or orders issued by the New York state civil defense commission.