Nebraska bill would provide cancer benefits to firefighters

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – A bill before Nebraska lawmakers would provide workers’ compensation benefits to firefighters diagnosed with cancer without requiring them to prove their cancer came from the job.

LB-400 entered its first round of debate Monday. The bill was introduced by Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont, a longtime firefighter.

“Firefighters don’t want to die. They don’t want to leave their jobs, their families, their fellow firefighters,” Wordekemper said.

Cancer risks for firefighters

Wordekemper said firefighters face increased cancer risks compared to the general population.

“Firefighters face a nine percent increase in cancer diagnosis, and a fourteen percent increase in cancer-related deaths compared to the general population,” he said.

“This isn’t speculation, this isn’t a theory, this is an established scientific fact from an independent international body,” Wordekemper said.

Trevor Towey, president of the Omaha Professional Firefighters union, said modern fires pose greater chemical risks than in previous decades.

“Fires of today are not like the fires in the seventies and the eighties. The products that are inside homes burn faster, there’s chemicals in the fires and firefighters are exposed to that,” Towey said.

Opposition to the bill

The bill was opposed by Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte and Sen. Bob Hallstrom.

Jacobson argued the bill could be unaffordable for smaller communities.

“Villages and cities are paying for it; and how are they paying for it? With property taxes,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson said current law is adequate.

“The current law is working. No one is turning their backs on firefighters,” he said. “Their benefits are all better than any other city employee.”

Jacobson referenced his own skin cancer diagnosis during the debate.

“Some of you have probably noticed I have a couple of cuts on my face. Well, it wasn’t from shaving,” he said. “I’ve never been a firefighter, by gosh somehow I’ve got cancer, so I’m dealing with it. Not every firefighter gets cancer.”

Current law and proposed changes

Current Nebraska law lists 20 cancers as presumed job-related if a firefighter is diagnosed. However, families are not compensated until the firefighter dies.

Towey said several Omaha firefighters are currently battling cancer.

“I can tell you we have got about 5 or 6 right now, and a couple of them are continuing to fight for their lives,” he said.

“Why would not those same cancers be also presumed while they are still alive, while they can still recover, while they can still fight and come back and service our community? That’s all we’re asking for,” Towey said.

Under current law, firefighters who get cancer and believe it is job-related must sue insurance companies to receive benefits. The proposed bill would allow firefighters to receive workers’ compensation benefits automatically, with employers able to sue if they believe the cancer was not job-related.

Towey said 33 other states have similar legislation.

“We’re not asking something that is outrageous, we’re not asking for something to be created that doesn’t exist,” he said.

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