Firefighters applying for the benefit would have to demonstrate exposure to a known carcinogen as a result of their occupation.
A state House committee passed legislation Wednesday that would provide workers' compensation to Georgian firefighters with certain cancers.
Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that House Bill 216 would grant workers' compensation benefits to firefighters who have been diagnosed with fire service-related cancers. Firefighters applying for the benefit would have to demonstrate exposure to a known carcinogen as a result of their occupation.
Dennis Thayer, chairman of the Georgia Firefighters Cancer Coalition, said the committee's decision to pass the bill has been long-awaited.
Thayer said about two-thirds of Georgia firefighters are volunteers, so workers' compensation would bring a relief to them and their families."We are taking great steps as an industry to prevent that exposure," Thayer said. "We are finding that a lot of guys are getting cancer at ages 30 or 35. It's clearly related back to the fire service."
Source: firerescue1.com
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