Firefighters risk their lives and run into dangerous situations to save people and help communities. Unfortunately, there has been a less widely known threat plaguing firefighters that has come to light recently; cancer.
“Unfortunately, there is a growing prevalence of cancer in firefighters, but early detection saves lives, and it saves our families – by blood and by profession – immense grief and hardship,” said Peter Brown, president of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, . “This new healthcare offering is a critical step forward in securing firefighter health and wellbeing. UPFFA is grateful for our continued partnership with Comptroller Scanlon and Governor Lamont.”
According to a federal lawsuit filed by dozens of Connecticut firefighters, their gear contains chemicals known to cause cancer called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. PFAS, more widely known as “forever chemicals.” This is a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in firefighting foams and some cookware. These PFAS are not the only exposure firefighters have to cancer causing agents, though. Repeated exposure to toxic chemicals and smoke can also put them at risk.
Bills have been introduced to combat the growing firefighters’ cancer risk, including a bill backed by state Rep. Michael Quinn (D-Meriden) that advocates for protective gear and further testing for firefighters. The bill has been voted out of the committee and to the treasurer’s office.
In response, Gov. Ned Lamont and Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced in a news conference that as of May 1t, Connecticut would add free enhanced cancer screenings for 900 firefighters out of the 27,000 statewide who are enrolled in the state employee partnership plan or health plan.
The screenings are expected to cost $150,000 per year. Quinn and other supporters of the bill explained that early detection of cancer will save money that would be used to combat late-stage cancers, as well as hardship that falls on firefighters, their departments, and their families after late-stage diagnosis.
Jeffrey Bond, a volunteer firefighter,EMT and a retired physician’s assistant, testified in front of the General Assembly’s Public Safety and Security Committee and gave them important statistics regarding cancer in firefighters.
“Firefighters face a 9% increase in a cancer diagnosis, and a 14% increase in cancer related deaths,” Bond said. “In 2017, the Connecticut State Commission of Fire Prevention and Control estimated that there were 26,800 firefighters in Connecticut, 22,350 were volunteer and 4,450 were career firefighters.” Bond said at the hearing. He also referenced a recent report from United Diagnostic Services where they did ultrasound testing on eight Connecticut fire departments and found 146 high risk findings out of 935 screenings, which is roughly 16% of the screenings.
Bond has his criticisms of the initiative, though. He said that abdominal screenings would be a better test of health, not an accurate cancer screening. He said the oncologists were not consulted when the plan was created, but he said he is working with oncologists from Hartford Healthcare and out-of-state union workers from Burlington Fire Department to create a comprehensive screening program backed by science.
