Four new types of cancers will now be covered without question for Alberta firefighters who brings claims to the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB).
The government announced this week that primary site prostate cancer, primary site skin cancer, primary site breast cancer and multiple myeloma will be added to the presumptive list of cancers.
The presumptive list means that when a firefighter is diagnosed with one of those cancers it is assumed automatically to be work related.
In the case of breast cancer, a firefighter only has to prove they have been employed for 10 years, while for the other three types they need to prove 15 years of service.
The four additions add to the 10 other cancers the government has already declared presumptive.
Scott Wilde, president of the local union of the international association of firefighters, said the change is very important to firefighters, but more importantly their families.
“It gives us a lot of comfort. It might not help us, but it definitely helps our families if we were to be diagnosed with a cancer like that,” he said. “The last thing they are going to want to be doing if one of our members passes away is fighting with the WCB as far as what is rightfully theirs.”
Jennifer Dagsvik, a spokesperson for the WCB, said the change will allow the firefighters a streamlined approach to receiving important benefits.
“There would be benefits and compensation that would include medical and lost-time benefits,” she said. “It would be the same as any other work-related injury where a worker was hurt in a work-related incident.”
She also said other cancers would be considered, but these now 14 are automatic.
“That is not to say that there are cancers that a firefighter could be diagnosed with that are work related, but there would have to be medical evidence, objective medical evidence that it was connected to the work they were doing.”
Les Mroz, the St. Albert fire department’s chief training and safety officer, said there are a lot of strange chemicals a firefighter is exposed to.
“Now we are dealing with the lightweight construction — so many synthetics and chemicals — so it is a witch’s brew of stuff that’s in the smoke now,” he said. “The guys are at a real risk when they are dealing with these.”
Mroz said, despite the coverage, firefighters are trying to minimize their danger as much as possible.
“The gear is better, our breathing apparatus are better, our policies are better and the guys are trying to be more careful, but the risk is still there.”
Wilde said there are likely other cancers that should eventually be included on the WCB’s list and more work is being done by the international union to help make that case.
“Firefighters have a 400 per cent greater chance of getting cancer than the average person, that number is there for a reason and I am sure it is not just because of these 14 cancers.”
