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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Neal P. Goodman |
  
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Goodman: Bill to help firefighters battling cancer advances out of committee
HARRISBURG, June 10 – State Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-Schuylkill, said the House Labor Relations Committee approved a bill Tuesday that would designate cancer as an occupational disease for firefighters who have served for at least four years.
"Firefighters dedicate their lives to the service of others," said Goodman, a co-sponsor of the bill. "But burning debris and high temperatures are not the only risks these men and women face. Frequent exposure to cancer-causing chemicals may increase their chances of developing cancer. This is an extremely important protection we need to provide firefighters."
Goodman said the bill, H.B. 1768, would amend the Workers’ Compensation Act to include lung cancer caused by work-related exposure to disease-causing elements, including heat, smoke, fumes or gasses, as an occupational disease for firefighters.
"I have many firefighters in my district, and I want nothing more than to come home and tell them that if they develop cancer, they're covered," Goodman said. "Their dedication to keeping local communities safe should at the very least be returned with the assurance that they will be covered if they have to fight cancer."
The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.
For more information about firefighters in Pennsylvania, visit www.osfc.state.pa.us.
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