BILLINGS, Mont. — A firefighters union is pushing for a bill that would provider firefighters with coverage if they get cancer.
KULR8 reported that a health and safety bill written by the Montana State Firemens’ Association aims to give firefighters with cancer financial coverage.
“The cancers that the firefighters are retiring and dying from are starting to become linked to the flame retardants and the chemicals that are in fires,” Montana State Council Firefighters Cancer Committee Chairman Cameron Abell said.
Abell said the bill will be introduced in 2019.
“We would like to see a firefighter health and safety bill to protect firefighters from cancer,” Abell said. “Montana firefighters have written the bill this year for the 2019 legislature.”
Abell urged the public to push their legislators to support the bill.
“We’re doing what we can in the fire service to keep ourselves clean, but we need the help of the legislature and the public to let their legislatures know that they want to protect us,” Abell said. “They want us to know that if we get cancer, our cancer isn’t going to ruin our family.”