BWC, Ohio Fire Marshal Post List of Firefighter Health Resources
"Firefighters put their lives on the line on a daily basis," State Fire Marshal Jeff Hussey said. "We want to ensure they're equipped with the best resources to do their jobs safely."
Following a five-day series published by The Columbus Dispatch on cancer afflicting firefighters, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation has partnered with the State Fire Marshal's office to educate Ohio firefighters about safety resources available through their agencies. BWC said the newspaper conducted two statewide surveys of firefighters and fire chiefs from across Ohio, and one in six of the nearly 1,300 firefighters who responded said they had been diagnosed with cancer at some point in their careers, while about half said they believed cancer was their biggest threat on the job.
"Firefighters face unique and life-threatening hazards as they protect the lives and property of their fellow Ohioans, and they deserve our best efforts to keep them safe on the job," said BWC Administrator/CEO Sarah Morrison. "We have committed a number of resources to reduce these dangers and improve the safety and health of Ohio firefighters."
State Fire Marshal Jeff Hussey added, "Firefighters put their lives on the line on a daily basis. We want to ensure they're equipped with the best resources to do their jobs safely."
The resources include fire department grants and safety grants, as well as the Public Employment Risk Reduction Program, research services, and firefighter safety training. To ease costs to local governments, the State Fire Marshal's office and Ohio Emergency Medical Services provide $500,000 to fund Firefighter I Training, a 120-hour certification class, and BWC committed another $1 million for the training to help prevent accidents and improve preparedness and response times during emergencies.
There are fire department equipment grants and other types of grants available, as well.