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Washington, DC (WorkersCompensation.com) – On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) introduced legislation that would expand access to federal support for first responders who suffer from service-related cancers and their families.
The bill, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, would make firefighters and other first responders eligible for support under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program if they die from or become permanently disabled from exposure to carcinogens during their work. Currently, the program is only available for first responders who sustain physical injuries in the line of duty, or die from duty-related heart attacks, strokes, mental health conditions or 9/11-relatied illnesses.
"Every day, firefighters and police officers face exposure to deadly carcinogens that take a devastating toll long after the flames are out,” Scanlon said at the 12th Annual “Breakfast on the Hill” hosted by the Firefighter’s Association State of Pennsylvania on Feb. 12. “When these first responders develop cancer because of their service, they and their families deserve our full support. I am proud to introduce the ‘Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act’ to do right by those who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. It’s time we close this gap in federal benefits and stand by our first responders, just as they have always stood by us."
Administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, the PSOB provides benefits to firefighters, law enforcement officers and other first responders who are killed because of the injuries they receive in the line of duty. The program also provides disability benefits if they are permanently or totally disabled. Additionally, a part of the program, the Public Safety Officers’ Educational Assistance (PSOEA) program, provides higher-education assistance to the children of first responders and spouses of public safety officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Scanlon’s bill was co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Gabe Amo (D-RI). Additionally, the bill is supported by the International Association of Fire Fighters, Congressional Fire Services Institute, Fraternal Order of Police, and other first responder organizations
Giminiez started his career as a firefighter in 1975 with the City of Miami Fire Department, the last nine years as Chief of the department.
“As the only career firefighter paramedic serving in Congress and as the City of Miami’s very first Cuban American Fire Chief, it’s an honor and a duty to introduce the bipartisan Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act,” Gimenez said. “Our first responders go above and beyond the line of duty to protect the communities they serve, and this legislation would guarantee that they have access to the life-saving care they rightfully deserve.”
The legislation is also supported by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Narcotics Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC), and National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).
“Cancer is ravaging the fire service and is the leading cause of line of duty deaths,” IAFF General President Edward A. Kelly said. “Medical studies and commonsense prove this epidemic comes from our exposure to toxins in smoke, vehicle exhaust, and even our own protective gear. In 2022, the International Agency for Research on Cancer found this evidence so clear that they classified the occupation of firefighting itself as a Group 1 carcinogen – their highest and most dangerous level. However, when firefighters succumb to job-related cancer, their families are left with nothing and denied critically needed death benefits. It is unconscionable to abandon fallen firefighters’ families when they need help most.”
Firefighters are covered by workers’ compensation, although the specific benefits and amounts vary by state, and some states also provide additional benefits. Recently, some states have moved to make sure firefighters who develop work-related cancers are covered by workers’ compensation. Moves at the federal level have ensured that firefighters who developed cancer after exposure to deadly toxins during the 9/11 attacks were provided benefits.
| “For more than twenty years, we have seen firsthand the devastating toll that cancer has taken among the heroes who responded to the 9/11 attacks,” Vincent Vallelong, president of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association, said. “The ongoing health crisis among 9/11 responders has also brought to light other serious and long-term health risks that public safety officers across this country face from job-related exposures to known carcinogens. That is why the SBA is proud to join with Rep. Scanlon in advocating for swift passage of the ‘Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act’ to ensure PSOB benefits for the families of those who succumb to job-related cancers.” |
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About The Author
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Liz Carey
Liz Carey has worked as a writer, reporter and editor for nearly 25 years. First, as an investigative reporter for Gannett and later as the Vice President of a local Chamber of Commerce, Carey has covered everything from local government to the statehouse to the aerospace industry. Her work as a reporter, as well as her work in the community, have led her to become an advocate for the working poor, as well as the small business owner.
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