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EXTEND THE OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE PRESUMPTION FOR CANCER TO WILDFIRE FIGHTERS - BCGEU


VANCOUVER –

With the second worst fire season on record raging across the province, British Columbians have been considering the long-term effects of widespread forest fires on both our communities, and the wildfire crews battling the blazes.

“We’re asking government to extend the occupational disease presumption for cancer to wildfire fighters. I’ve heard directly from many front-line workers that they are concerned about adverse health outcomes that will come from being exposed to so much smoke, for extended periods of time.” said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President.

Structural firefighters in B.C. are protected with more respiratory equipment than ever, and follow strict decontamination procedures. This stands in stark contrast to wildfire crews who do not wear any respiratory protection or follow decontamination procedures, and who we expect to face more exposures to more toxic smoke as population growth and the effects of climate change intensify.

To support the health and safety of crews working to battle wildfires Smith said that "the union has compiled a detailed report: Wildfire Brief: The case for extending occupational disease presumption for cancer to wildfire fighters. I have forwarded this report to the Ministry of Labour and we will be requesting legislative from government in order to bring wildfire crews under the same protections given to firefighters across the province."

Given the small number of firefighters that would be covered, extending the cancer presumption to wildfire fighters would put them on equal footing with their municipal counterparts, at a negligible additional cost to government. 

Smith noted that "these last few months British Columbians got a small taste of the kind of smoke that wildfire crews get exposed to year after year. These workers put their lives on the line to save our communities, and I'm confident people across the province will want to do right by them."

The BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) represents more than 76,000 workers in various sectors and occupations in more than 550 bargaining units throughout British Columbia. BCGEU members provide direct wildfire protection services across the province, as well as provincial emergency response services to British Columbia communities.

You can read the full report below

Wildfire Brief Presumptive Diseases by B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union on Scribd

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