The US House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that would require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a registry of firefighters who develop cancer in an effort to study the risks they face on the job.
The Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, introduced by Rep. Chris Collins, R-NY, would provide $2 million in federal funds from 2018 to 2022 for the CDC to gather and study data, including the status of a firefighter who developed cancer (volunteer or career, for example), the number of years spent on the job and the number and types of incidents they responded to.
The study of this data could lead to improvements in equipment as well as changes in safety protocols and prevention techniques for firefighters, according to the bill, which still requires approval from the Senate before it can be signed into law by President Donald Trump.
"Sixteen years ago yesterday, on Sept. 11, 2001, we witnessed a horrible tragedy that will leave an impression on generations of Americans forever," Rep. Collins said Tuesday from the House floor. "Through this tragedy, we witnessed the heroic actions of America's brave first responders working and volunteering in the days and weeks to come. We lost many first responders during those attacks of 9/11 and we continue to lose more every year from ongoing health effects."
A 2015 study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that firefighters face a greater risk of developing cancers than the general population.
"We thank Congress for voting unanimously in favor of this essential legislation and urge the U.S. Senate to follow suit and get this bill to President Donald Trump's desk as soon as possible," IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger said in a statement.
"Today, most firefighters who die in the line of duty are not killed by smoke or fire, but rather by the hidden scourge of cancer."
