LANSING, Mich. — The House Appropriations Committee has approved an amendment that will help firefighters in Michigan suffering from cancer.
MichiganRadio.org reported that the $3 million still has to be approved by the full House and Senate, but it’s a crucial step firefighters have been waiting for. Last January, the state created a fund providing workers’ compensation coverage for firefighters who get job-related cancer. However, lawmakers failed to put any money in the fund.
Since then, 13 firefighters have been diagnosed with cancers that are linked to firefighting. One of them died this winter, according to the report.
“It is amazing and I thank our firefighters for coming forward, and expressing exactly what this means to them,” Union president Mark Docherty said. “Our representatives and our senators understand how this impacts our firefighters, their lives and their families.”
House Speaker Kevin Cotter voiced his support on the cancer coverage.
“The Appropriations Committee did the right thing adding this critical funding to the budget before it moves onto the House floor. Local firefighters are heroes who keep our communities and families safe,” Cotter said. “With this new program, the state of Michigan has their back.”
If approved, the $3 million would be available for firefighters in the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The Senate has already passed a bill allocating $1 million for the firefighters’ fund in the current fiscal year, which is still waiting for lawmakers in the House to approve.