Senate bill extends protections for firefighters, EMTs, investigators

Firefighters and others exposed to conditions that can lead to occupational disease would gain increased protections under legislation introduced on Friday in Olympia by state Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island.

“Firefighters and fire investigators, as well as EMTs and other first responders, constantly place themselves at risk to help others,” Ranker said in a media release about Senate Bill 6520. “We owe it to them to have their backs when the risks of their work come home to roost in the form of cancers and other occupational illnesses.”

The measure works two ways: It adds to the number of cancers considered occupational diseases, and it extends the protections enjoyed by firefighters to EMTs and public employee fire investigators.

“Scientific studies show that firefighters are at greater risk or are more likely to die from these cancers,” Ranker said. “As more incidents of cancers accumulate, the list of cancers grows.”

Legislation in 1987 originally covered firefighters for heart problems and lung conditions. Additional legislation in 2002 and 2007 added numerous cancers to the list. Ranker’s bill adds still more cancers as well as breast cancer and MRSA infections.

“Every firefighter can tell you that either they have been personally affected by cancer or know another firefighter who has been affected by cancer, attributed to our profession,” said Kelly Fox, president of the Washington State Council of Firefighters. “It’s not something we like to think about but it’s a concern none of us can ignore.”

The key benefit of the list of diseases is that it places the burden of proof on an employer to prove that the disease is not duty related, instead of on the employee to prove it is duty related.

“Firefighters and other responders and investigators regularly work in high-stress, high-risk conditions,” Ranker said. “We need them focused on their work, not on having to document the nature and history of their illnesses.”