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Click Here to view a 17
minute, broadband, video
of Mark's interview. MORE
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Political Action
The political scene is a realm that is unique to each town, city, district, county, region, state, province, and country. The fire service relies upon professional relationships forged to determine service benefits and funding. While affiliation is respected as a personal choice, we encourage our members to be educated and involved.
An important message from the American Cancer Society:
Health care reform isn’t about politics -- it’s about fighting cancer.
Thousands of men and women this year will skip their yearly checkup because, without health care, it's just too expensive. Thousands won’t find out that they’re sick -- even though preventive care can make all the difference.
From 1990 to 2005, early detection, preventive care and better treatment helped avoid 650,000 cancer deaths.
Tomorrow, Congress will start considering health care reform legislation to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care. There’s never been a more important time for every American to tell Washington: access is critical to prevention, and prevention is critical to the fight against cancer.
Will you tell 3 friends or family members about this important moment, and ask them to join our campaign?
http://acscan.org/healthcare/tellafriend
As the wheels of Washington turn, politicians, interest groups and business leaders all want to take their moments on the soapbox. But we have to make sure a very important group of voices doesn’t get lost in the sound and fury: the voices of patients.
Fixing our broken health care system is about more than HMOs and prescription drug plans.
It’s about mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. It’s about the extra week, month, year or decade we can spend with our loved ones with the right care. And it’s about the peace of mind we all need that if the worst happens, we’ll be ok.
ACS CAN is the voice for patients -- people like you and me. All we care about is saving lives. That's why we're fighting to make sure Washington’s new health care legislation reflects our priorities: prevention, access, affordability, and bipartisanship.
You can help fight for these priorities by bringing your friends and family members into our growing movement. Make cancer a national priority -- invite three people to join us:
http://acscan.org/healthcare/tellafriend
This is a key moment in the fight against cancer, and we’re all going to need to pitch in to do our part.
Thanks,
Molly Daniels
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
An early FFCF intiative accomplished:
A resolution was passed at the 2006 IAFF Biennial Convention establishing funding for dedicated IAFF staff to administer a presumptive disease database tracking all fire fighter occupational diseases for U.S. and Canadian professional fire fighters. The resolution effort and passage was in response to a growing need for uniform reporting and data availability for legislative education, presumptive protections, and future medical research opportunities. We thank those that supported our work to accomplish this important step.
In 2008, the database was launched.
We encourage all IAFF affiliates to utilize this important system.
Lobbying U.S.A:
House of Representatives
Senate
Common Cause
Patient Advocacy:
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)
Patient Advocacy Resources
Employment Rights for Cancer Patients/ Survivors:
American Disabilities Act (ADA.gov)
National Academy of Elderlaw Attorneys (Naela.com)
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (Description)
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (Form)
Job Accomodation Network
Disability Rights Legal Center
Canadian Action:
Presumptive Legislation for Ontario Firefighters Passes Unanimously at Queen's Park
May 4 2007: Following a morning announcement by Premier McGuinty, the Hon. Steve Peters, Minister of Labour, introduced Bill 221, The Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Presumptions for Firefighters) yesterday in the legislature. Following the bill's first reading, the Opposition Labour Critic, Jim Wilson (PC Simcoe-Grey) made a motion seeking unanimous consent that Bill 221 be sent for second and third readings. All members of the Legislature unanimously passed Bill 221. According to the Globe&Mail, only twice in its history has a bill passed with unanimous, all-party consent at first, second and third readings at Queen's Park.
The Bill, which was singed into law this morning, provides the authority for the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations prescribing presumptions for occupational diseases for fire fighters. The cancers identified in a prepared regulation for Ontario's full-time fire fighters is as follows:
Brain (10 years);
Bladder (15 years);
Kidney (20 years);
Colorectal (10 years but must be diagnosed before 61st birthday);
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (20 years);
Leukemia (15 years);
Ureter (15 years);
Esophageal (25 years) and
Heart injury within 24 hours of fighting a fire.
The legislation will apply to firefighter claims retroactive to 1 January 1960, as well as claims that have been processed by the WSIB up to and inlcuding appeals and/or the tribunal may now be re-filed and applied within the established parameters.
Further information on Bill 221 can be found at www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=1663
Background information on Bill 221 can be found at www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/news/2007/07-57b.html
Premier's Office News Release can be found at www.premier.gov.on.ca/news/Product.asp?ProductID=1205&Lang=EN
Statements by the Minister and MPPs in Hansard are on the download below.
Download:  Hansard 3 May 2007.doc
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April 16th, 2006
(Consolidated up to 249/2005) ALBERTA REGULATION 102/2003 Workers’ Compensation Act FIREFIGHTERS’ PRIMARY SITE CANCER REGULATION Definitions 1 In this Regulation, (a) “Act” means the Workers’ Compensation Act; (b) “non-smoker” means an individual who has not smoked a tobacco product in the 10 years prior to the date of diagnosis of a primary site cancer. AR 102/2003 s1;249/2005 Designated cancers and periods of employment 2 For the purpose of section 24.1(4) of the Act, the primary site cancers and the minimum period of exposure for each disease are the following: PRIMARY SITE CANCERS MINIMUM PERIOD OF REGULAR EXPOSURE TO THE HAZARDS OF A FIRE SCENE -Primary leukemia 5 years, -Primary site brain cancer 10 years, -Primary site bladder cancer 15 years, -Primary site lung cancer in non-smokers 15 years, -Primary site ureter cancer 15 years, -Primary site kidney cancer 20 years, -Primary site colorectal cancer 20 years, -A primary non-Hodgkins lymphoma 20 years. In April of this year the province of Alberta enacted presumptive legislation which grants career Fire Fighters automatic coverage for certain types of cancer. Due to the nature of their jobs, firefighters are often exposed to hazardous fumes that make them particularly susceptible to cancers of the brain, colon, bladder, urethra and kidney as well as leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, over the course of their careers. The Alberta Fire Fighters Association’s efforts to bring this issue to the attention of the provincial government were aided by the research and support of the Alberta Cancer Board and Alberta Cancer Foundation. The Alberta Fire Fighters Association (AFFA) will show its appreciation for the support of the Alberta Cancer Board and Alberta Cancer Foundation through a fundraising campaign.Money will be raised for the Alberta Cancer Foundation through the sale of “support” ribbons at the various AFFA fire stations across the province. Ed Mclean, 1st Vice-President of the Alberta Fire Fighters Association made the announcement and was joined by Stacy Scott of the Alberta Cancer Foundation, on July 19th, 2006 at the St Albert Fire Department. Submitted by K. Sheedy, L2130 PR Committee Chairperson
Presumptive Work in Manitoba & Other Provinces:
The province of Manitoba has amended its Workers’ Compensation Act to bring heart attacks and lung cancer under the umbrella of the “firefighters’ presumption,” which provides that certain cancers are presumed to be caused by employment as a firefighter. The amended Act also extends the firefighters’ presumption to casual, part-time, and volunteer firefighters. Read more...
U.S. Cancer and Presumptive Disease Legislation by state
| STATE |
Cancer
|
Infectious Disease
|
Heart Disease
|
Lung Disease
|
|
Alabama
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Alaska
|
X*
|
|
|
|
|
Arizona
|
x*
|
x*
|
|
|
|
Arkansas
|
|
|
|
|
|
California
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Colorado
|
x*
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Connecticut
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Delaware
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Columbia
|
|
|
|
|
|
Florida
|
|
x*
|
x
|
x*
|
|
Georgia
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Hawaii
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Idaho
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Illinois
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Indiana **
|
|
|
|
|
|
Iowa
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Kansas
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Kentucky
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Louisiana
|
x*
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Maine
|
X*
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
Maryland
|
x*
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Massachusetts
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Michigan
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Minnesota
|
x*
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
|
Mississippi
|
|
|
|
|
|
Missouri
|
x*
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Montana
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nebraska
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
Nevada
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
New Hampshire
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
New Jersey
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
New Mexico
|
|
|
|
|
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New York
|
x*
|
|
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North Carolina
|
|
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STATE
|
Cancer
|
Infectious Disease
|
Heart Disease
|
Lung Disease
|
|
North Dakota
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Ohio
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Oklahoma
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Oregon
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Rhode Island
|
x
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
South Carolina
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
South Dakota
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Tennessee ***
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Texas
|
x
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Utah
|
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Vermont
|
x*
|
|
x*
|
|
|
Virginia
|
x*
|
x*
|
x
|
x
|
|
Washington
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
West Virginia
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wisconsin
|
x*
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Wyoming
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| * Only certain diseases in these categories are covered |
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| ** Legislation pending |
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| *** Only certain localities within the state |
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Page Last Updated: Aug 14, 2009 (22:38:00)
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St. Baldrick's Foundation
Shaving the way to conquer kid's cancer
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