Firefighters are 9% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, and 14% more likely to die from cancer than the general public, according to the union representing Des Moines’ firefighters.
The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4 has been calling attention to these stats and marking January as firefighter cancer awareness month. It’s also asking for help from residents to get state law changed.
Several Des Moines firefighters are struggling with a cancer diagnosis, according to posts on the Des Moines Firefighters’ Facebook page. Iowa law only provides disability coverage for 14 of the 200 different known cancers.
The lack of coverage is “why legislators are failing some of our heroes,” one post said.
Fallen Des Moines firefighter: ‘It’s a gamechanger’
Capt. Phillip “Mike” Broderick died earlier this month after fighting stage 4 liver cancer. He worked with the fire department for 16 years and served in the Army for about two decades.
“It needs to be all cancer,” he said in a video post shortly after his death. “If you look at the statistics and the data … they don’t lie.”