Ohio Governor Signs Firefighter Cancer Bill

By Emily Wilbur, Hayley Dillow and Samantha Feuer

Ohio firefighters who are diagnosed with certain types of cancer will be better protected under a bill signed into law on Jan. 4, 2017, by Ohio Governor John Kasich.

Senate Bill 27 will allow firefighters diagnosed with cancer to receive additional workers’ compensation benefits, including money for medical costs and survivor benefits for their dependents.

The bill, known as the “Michael Louis Palumbo Jr. Act,” is named in honor of a fire department captain from Beachwood and Willowick who was diagnosed in 2015 with brain cancer.

It was the fourth time then-Senator Tom Patton introduced the cancer legislation, but the bill was never based on science until now.

 

Michael “Mike” Palumbo first became aware of his brain cancer in Oct. 2015. Shortly after that, Mike and his wife, Christine Palumbo, learned about the link between Mike’s job and the cancer. They gathered information from the Firefighter Cancer Support Network  and the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, and together they started to make a push.

Mike’s story was public from the very beginning.

After hearing about how the proposal continually remained tangled in bureaucracy since 2008, Christine and Mike Palumbo worked on their end by having people sign petitions and getting Mike’s story on the news and social media.

“I decided to look at the political side of it all and with the help of some other firefighters, we stuck together and went forward from there,” said Capt. Mike Palumbo. “They needed a face for the bill so I kind of put myself out there.”

A Firefighter Network class was held by the Cleveland Clinic, bringing firefighters from all over to come and educate others on the connection of cancers and firefighting. Among the audience were legislatures, local chiefs and mayors.

“The class really helped a lot in the push for lawmakers to recognize it more,” said Christine Palumbo. “We thought if Mike would put his story out there, then it would help propel the bill and that’s exactly what happened. More pressure was put on lawmakers.”

According to Christine Palumbo, Mike’s story is what put emotion to the bill. “Here’s a guy that’s young, well-known, successful, has a great family with 5 kids, happy and faithful and one day his life changed forever. I think that it helps grab people’s attention and say enough is enough.”

Firefighters are constantly at risk of being exposed to a toxic mixture of carcinogens, chemicals and other toxins. According to Lt. James Samels with the Kent Fire Department, they not only inhale these toxic mixtures but also absorb them through their skin.

 

“There is such a high cancer rate amongst firefighters that it seems almost too coincidental,” said Samels. “When a fighter does get this diagnoses, they can now focus on their treatment and recovery rather than insurance bills and things that won’t help them get better.

“We still have to have a safety net for when a firefighter is exposed to these toxic chemicals and that’s what leads to this presumptive cancer legislation,” said Samels. “It’s been a long time coming.

Statistics from the Institution of National Occupational Safety and Health reports firefighters are 50 percent more likely than the general public to be diagnosed with cancer, and 14 percent more likely to die of the disease.

The law will apply to firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancer, such as lung, prostate, brain, and leukemia.

The firefighter must have been on hazardous duty for at least six years and had been exposed to known toxins that cause cancer. If it is determined that the firefighter’s cancer is linked to smoking or tobacco use, benefits may be denied. There is no coverage if the firefighter is over age 70 years old or if the firefighter has been away from hazardous duty more than 20 years.

The Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters is pleased with Senate Bill 27.

Cory Wilson, the third district Vice President of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters, said that in the last several years, cancer study has increased and the awareness has increased, so a lot of the things firefighters do, prevention-wise, has increased.

According to Wilson, before the bill passed and a firefighter was diagnosed with cancer, the process of proving that the cancer came from their job as a fireman was impossible.

“The bill doesn’t stop us from getting cancer, but it helps us financially. Firefighters had to go on their own sick leave to stay on the payroll in order to get paid. The biggest thing for us is the finance and security,” said Wilson. “There are 14 other states that don’t have the bill. Ours is probably one of the best presumptive laws out there, so it’s big deal,” said Wilson.

Capt. Mike Palumbo still continues his battle with brain cancer.

“He’s the champion of the bill. He’s battling brain cancer right now and he puts so much work and hours into coming to Columbus, speaking to senators and making phone calls,” said Wilson. “If someone is personally going through something and they can sit there and talk to a senator, it’s real. This guy has brain cancer and it more than likely comes from firefighting. It’s more than real.”