Volunteer Firefighters Rally for Cancer Protection: ‘Cancer Doesn’t Discriminate’

ALBANY, N.Y. — The motto of the rally was that “cancer doesn’t care if you are a paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter,” and therefore both roles should be treated the same.

“They did not volunteer to get cancer, and we need to support them in this endeavor,” said FASNY President Robert McConville.

Members of the Fireman’s Association of the State of New York came to Albany Thursday to fix what they say is a crucial gap in caring for our first responders.

“As you know today, insurance is expensive and not everybody has it, and besides everything else it might not cover all expenses. Cancer devastates families,” said Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther.

Unlike paid firefighters, volunteers are not covered by department insurance, but are subject to the same risks.  A 2006 study found that firefighters are 102 percent more likely to develop testicular cancer, and 62 percent more likely to develop cancer of the esophagus than the general public.

“A lot of people don’t realize that modern fires today burn faster, hotter, and are a lot more toxic than years ago,” said Tony Cruz, the director of the Firefighter’s Cancer Support Network.

Fire retardant building construction and furnishings all release toxic fumes that firefighters have no choice but to breathe while they are battling fires. The plan would cover volunteers if they were to get cancer relating to a fire they fought.

“They give up so much time. They raise money to buy trucks and everything. I think it’s time that we do this,” said Gunther.

There is no cost estimate to go along with the plan to give, but FASNY says it will be much less than the estimated $3.9 billion that it would cost to replace New York’s volunteers with paid firefighters.

In the last legislative session, the bill passed the Senate unanimously, but failed to get out of committee in the Assembly. Proponents say they are hopeful this year it will get to the floor for a full vote.