Full funding was announced Monday
“This is near and dear to my heart’” says YVR Firefighter Jeremy McNulty. “I lost my Lieutenant to cancer last year.” McNulty is devoted to UCTE’s campaign to improve prevention and treatment for our brothers and sisters on airport firefighting services.
That Lieutenant was Mark Shapiro. In the wake of his passing last August, federal regulations on healthcare coverage for emergency responders was expanded to cover Transport Canada Firefighters.
But there are still many areas to work on, and UCTE has been pushing to bridge more gaps. Coverage for presumptive cancers is still uneven, says McNulty. He is thankful for the coverage in B.C., but explains that not all provinces and territories have the same coverages, and we will continue to push to have all firefighters covered comprehensively throughout the country.
Another element that UCTE has been advocating for is a National Firefighter Cancer Registry, to help build evidence for links between firefighting and cancer risks, leading to better health outcomes. UCTE has been consistently including demands for Firefighter Cancer Awareness Committees at all our bargaining tables.
Because of these efforts, UCTE welcomes the announcement October 7 of the National Framework on Cancers Linked to Firefighting. It includes the Registry we’ve been advocating for, and other measures. Our Airport Firefighter Members will be glad to know that disproportionate health hazards on the job are being recognized and taken seriously.
Barry Tchir is UCTE Pacific Regional Vice-President: “Having met and lost airport firefighter members to cancer, I see this as is a very positive step forward.”
“We are glad that the Federal Government has taken these steps toward recognizing the risks our Firefighters take every day to keep us safe. UCTE will continue to work with the government to ensure the creation of a Firefighters Cancer Registry, for all our firefighters and fire response members.”
In June 2023, the federal government passed legislation intended to increase firefighters’ access to cancer prevention and treatment. Health Canada consulted with stakeholders between then and January 2024, and reported what the consultation heard in May. Monday’s media conference was to announce the result of that process:
Mark Holland, Canada’s Health Minister, said at the media conference that firefighters going into harm’s way should be able to focus on immediate risks; they should be relieved, where possible, of worries about long-term risks from their equipment and environment. He tabled the Framework legislation the same day. That legislation makes the framework complete and funded – with $12.29 Million. Once this legislation passes, work can begin on improving access to earlier diagnosis and treatment, as well as training and education toward cancer prevention.
Firefighters are already accepting a lot of risk just to do the work. In the UCTE-produced video below, Doctor Kenneth Kunz puts is this way, “Firefighters are regarded by the public as brave heroes. But that doesn’t mean they have to die from it.”
Doctor Kunz lays out the multiple factors in cancer risk. For firefighters, about 15% of the increase in risk – compared to the general population – is unavoidable. There is simply inevitable exposure to many carcinogens in fighting fires. That makes it even more important to address the risks that we can do something about.
Watch for more information about firefighters’ increased exposure to cancer risks:
[…] UCTE represents members in a variety of workplaces. The hazards are just as varied. Here are a few examples: Our Coast Guard members include many ships’ crew and search-and-rescue technicians, who risk their lives regularly to protect mariners. Firefighters do the same, and for our airport fire fighters – as for all firefighters – the number one killer is cancer, due to exposure to various workplace carcinogens. Firefighters, advocating through their unions, have been making strides on getting better prevention and treatment. […]