FireEngineering.com
Posted December 20th 2016
(PHOTO: SENATOR TOM PATTON R-DISTRICT 24)
After a nearly decade-long battle, the Ohio House of Representatives is expected to approve a bill to help firefighters battling cancer Wednesday afternoon. The legislation, currently known as SB 27, will be renamed after Mike Palumbo, a Beachwood firefighter battling brain cancer.
The bill will allow firefighters diagnosed with cancer to receive additional worker’s compensation benefits, including money for medical costs, workers’ compensation, and survivor benefits for their dependents.
However, the law will only apply to firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancer, such as lung, prostate, brain, and leukemia. Scientific studies show fighting fires increases the risk of developing those cancers.
Firefighters who smoke, are over the age of 75, or who served less than three years, would also be exempt from additional benefits under the law.
Ohio firefighters have fought for this legislation for years.
“I feel almost embarrassed as the state of Ohio,” said Ohio Senator Tom Patton (R-District 24.) “There’s no other disabling injury that someone in Ohio will receive while working that we don’t take care of,” he said.