The state of Connecticut is now offering free cancer screenings for hundreds of firefighters. At Bradley Airport Fire Station 1 Tuesday morning, firefighters were busy trying to save their own lives, with a free cancer screening.
This is a new service Comptroller Sean Scanlon started two months ago. โThis is just one way we can ensure that firefighters who put their lives on the line every day for us, are getting the help they need to detect cancer early as we see the rates of cancer rise among our firefighters,โ says Comptroller Sean Scanlon. Under the service, eligible firefighters can get one free cancer screening every two years.
This applies to around 900 firefighters on the stateโs employee health plan, and another 1,000 municipal firefighters through the stateโs partnership plan. For everyone else, โI secured a discount for all fire departments for this test.โ
โCancer has become such a big problem for us in the fire service. Itโs the number one killer of firefighters,โ Peter Brown, President of the Uniform Professional Firefighters Association, said. Thatโs because of the chemicals found in firefighting gear, and foam used to put out fires. โDoes the risk scare me away? I still love my job and will do it regardless. To be able to be proactive and know right away or early on and get that treatment, thatโs a huge win for us,โ says Captain Amanda Mele, with Bradley Airport Fire.
