Two Tucson firefighters who battled cancer are finally having their workers’ compensation claims approved, after months of delays and initial denials. Both firefighters have since returned to active duty.
Tucson Fire Chief Sharon McDonough confirmed the claims were approved Tuesday night by Tucson City Council. The firefighters were previously diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that research shows is more common among firefighters due to regular exposure to carcinogens and toxic chemicals on the job.
“Our job is to take good care of our people. These are men and women who will lay down their lives for complete strangers,” McDonough says.
McDonough said she has seen several fellow firefighters face cancer diagnoses throughout her time in this career, some of whom were close personal friends and colleagues…