Victory for part time and volunteer fire fighters in Ontario.
On Thursday — the province announced it would extend a presumptive legislation created in 2007 to them.
Through it, firefighters receive treatment and support for cancers and conditions developed on the job to all part-time and volunteer members.
Saugeen Shores Fire Chief Phil Eagleson calls it a major victory for the nineteen thousand volunteers in our province.
Eagleson was informed of the change by Bayshore Broadcasting News – and he tells us he is pleased their two and a half year fight is over.
He says it was identified years ago – firefighters suffer from certain cancers and heart attacks within 24 hours of fighting a fire – but until now – only full time firefighters were protected.
The new regulation will apply to volunteer and part-time firefighters and fire investigators for diseases diagnosed on or after January first – 1960.
Brain, esophageal, lung, colorectal, bladder, urethral cancers along with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are all covered under the legislation.
It was also announced yesterday, volunteer fire fighters are now included in the first priority group for the H1N1 flu shot.
Eagleson says it was a “really good day for volunteer fire fighters in Ontario”.