NY law would cover volunteers who get cancer fighting fires

A bill awaiting Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature would mandate insurance payments to volunteer firefighters who get cancer after battling interior blazes.

It’s believed that several different types of cancer result from exposure to things such as burning pressboard, laminates and similar petrochemical-treated items.

Studies have found that firefighters are more likely to get these types of cancer, caused by toxic fumes, than the general population.

“Professional firefighters are already covered. Volunteers aren’t,” said John D’Allessandro, Firemen’s Association of the State of New York secretary. “This bill passed in the state Senate each of the past four or five years, but was held up in the Assembly. This is the first year it’s passed in both houses.”

The proposed law is the New York State Volunteer Firefighter Enhanced Cancer Disability Benefits Act and its numbers in the Senate and Assembly are S01411-B and A711B, respectively. It would take effect on Jan. 1, 2019, if Cuomo signs it.

D’Allassandro is also a past commissioner with Halfmoon-Waterford Fire District No. 1.

FASNY officials met with counsel from the governor’s office last week to discuss the bill, and the likelihood of Cuomo signing it.

“It’s kind 50-50 now,” D’Allessandro said. “This governor plays things close to the vest. We hope he signs it.”

When originally proposed, the law would have covered all volunteers. Now it’s designed to only cover those who fight interior structure fires. This was done to reduce costs for villages and local fire taxing districts.

“When we take the gear off we’re taxpayers, too,” D’Allessandro said. “So we understand there has to be a balance for everybody.”

About 40,000 of the roughly 105,000 volunteer firefighters in New York state are trained to fight interior fires, D’Allessandro said.

To date, insurance companies haven’t begun writing policies for fire-contracted cancer. Professional firefighters are covered under their retirement system, he said.

Volunteers would be covered under the new law if they pass a physical upon entering the fire service, with no evidence of prior cancer, and serve at least five years as an interior firefighter.

A volunteer who gets cancer would be eligible for a lump sum payment of $6,250 or $25,000, depending on severity. If the volunteer is totally disabled, they would get a monthly benefit of $1,500 for up to 36 months.

“It’s not meant for medical expenses,” D’Allessandro said. “Most firefighters already have health insurance through their job. It’s for things such as insurance co-pays, and travel and hotels if they’re staying overnight somewhere for treatment. That can be quite expensive.”

In case of death, the volunteer firefighters’ family will be eligible for an accidental death benefit in the amount of $50,000.