Firefighter Lobby for More Effective Smoke Alarms, Health Coverage in Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. — Firefighters from all over the state gather at the tate Capitol in Albany to lobby for more effective smoke alarms and better health coverage for volunteer firefighters.

The firefighters are proposing bills in the Senate and the Assembly that would require 10 year batteries in smoke detectors.

They are also pushing for legislation that would make sure volunteers firefighters are covered if they are diagnosed with cancer.

“We’re trying to make them healthier and aware of the dangers of firefighting and the fact that it could cause cancer and/or cardiac conditions also. But certainly most of our training now is to make sure that the firefighter is safe and aware of the situations that he’s in when he’s fighting fires,” said Robert McConville, the president of the FASNY.

Firefighters also met with lawmakers to discuss a bill which would allow fire districts to bill for ambulance calls-covering the cost of EMS services.