READER’S VIEW: Volunteer firefighters save lives. We can save theirs |
We ask the families of our firefighters to carry an almost unbearable burden.
The fire pager goes off. Their loved one rushes into the night. A part of them is used to it. A part of them never could be.
Deep down, they know it might be the last time they ever see them.
There’s only so much that can be done to mitigate the most dramatic risks involved with running into a burning building to save someone’s life. We can, however, do something about the most insidious, lethal threat that our volunteers face: cancer.
Studies have shown that testicular cancer rates are twice as high for firefighters, and 50% higher for lymphoma and myeloma. The CDC reports that firefighters are 14% more likely to die of cancer than the general population. It is the number one cause of line-of-duty death.
Even with stunning advances in modern cancer treatment, the best tool we have is still early detection. The American Cancer Society estimates that effective screening would prevent death in 44% of incidences per year, saving nearly 300,000 lives. That’s why we cosponsor bipartisan legislation (S.4049/A.1066) in the Legislature requiring the state to pay for yearly cancer screenings for all volunteer firefighters.
A recent report detailed the staffing crisis plaguing volunteer departments across the state. In the early 2000s, the state boasted over 120,000 volunteer firefighters. Today, there’s 70,000. If we can’t provide lifesaving cancer screenings for the men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day, we can’t claim to be taking recruitment and retention seriously as policymakers.
Dave Plew was the Assistant Chief of the Brunswick Fire Company No.1. He was a beloved husband to his wife, Paula, and a devoted father to his son, Matthew. Dave was the consummate public servant and a mentor to a generation of volunteers. He remains an inspiration. Dave was hospitalized in late summer of 2024 and diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer. He was in Hospice Care by the fall and tragically passed away on October 5 at the age of 56.
Dave’s illness was brief and intense. He could’ve shut down. He could’ve been bitter. Instead, he was thinking about his brothers and sisters in fire service, particularly Matt, who followed in his footsteps. He was an outspoken advocate about the importance of the annual screenings that could’ve saved his life. Matt and Paula have continued his spirited advocacy, urging Democrats and Republicans to come together and pass this commonsense bill.
Our colleagues who are moved by Dave’s story don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to run into a stranger’s burning home. They don’t have to expose themselves to carcinogenic chemicals, or console a family who’s lost everything.
Their path to saving lives is a lot easier. Sponsor this bill!
State Sen. Jake Ashby represents the 43rd Senate District. State Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, RPh, represents the 108th Assembly District.