Alberta expands cancer support for firefighters

Province first in Canada to improve coverage for women facing fire-related illnesses

The Alberta government is expanding support for firefighters facing cancer, one of the biggest risks that comes with the job.

Premier Rachel Notley announced Friday that new regulations mean presumptive Workers Compensation Board coverage for female firefighters who contract ovarian and cervical cancer. The move is believed to be a Canadian first.

Jennifer Buehler, a Red Deer firefighter-paramedic, said the expanded coverage is important for current female firefighters and those who will follow them.

“The fires that we fight do not know gender,” she said at the announcement at the Calgary firefighters academy.

“The toxic smoke permeates through our protective gear and skin the same way it does to our fellow brother firefighters. We do what we can to protect ourselves and our communities ... unfortunately, sometimes all this is not enough.”

There are more than 14,000 fulltime, part-time and volunteer firefighters in Alberta. About eight per cent are women.

Under the WCB rules, the minimum exposure period for the reproductive cancers will be 10 years.

The government also announced Friday it will reduce the minimum exposure period from 20 to 10 years for compensation for testicular cancer.

Craig Macdonald, president of the Alberta Fire Fighters Association, applauded the government’s move, noting that cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters.

He said firefighters fought to have cancer treated as an occupational disease, leading to the establishment of presumptive WCB coverage for many types of cancer among firefighters in 2003.

Protections need to be expanded as medical knowledge increases and the risks associated with the job change, said Macdonald.

“Fires have changed. A century ago, homes were typically furnished with wood, steel and glass. Today, it’s full of plastics, foams, and coatings which create a toxic soup of carcinogens when they burn,” he said.

Notley said it’s up to government

to ensure regulations are kept up to date to recognize the realities on the ground.

She said firefighters deserve to have all the risks they face taken into account.

“Both long-term risk and shortterm risk,” said the premier.

The latest changes came as part of the NDP government’s review of WCB coverage last year.

DEAN PILLING Premier Rachel Notley, Finance Minister Joe Ceci and Calgary firefighter Brad McDonald play with fire hall mascot Honey in Calgary Friday. Notley announced additional government support for firefighters who contract certain reproductive cancers.