Firefighters with cancer could get federal benefits under proposed US law
Iain Hoey
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Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act reintroduced in US Senate
According to the LA Times, a new federal bill has been reintroduced to expand benefits for firefighters who develop cancer linked to their work responding to wildfires.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act would allow access to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program for firefighters diagnosed with non-9/11 service-related cancers.
This move follows the January wildfires in Los Angeles County, during which 20 Northern California firefighters were found to have high blood levels of lead and mercury after responding to the blazes.
Research tracks health risks linked to wildfire response
As reported by the LA Times, a study led by researchers from institutions including Harvard, UCLA, UC Davis and the University of Texas at Austin is monitoring the long-term health effects on firefighters exposed to the January fires in Southern California.
According to the World Health Organization, firefighting is classified as carcinogenic.
A 2024 study found that firefighters are 14% more likely to die from cancer than the general population.
Between 2002 and 2019, 66% of firefighter line-of-duty deaths were attributed to cancer.
Concerns raised over future implementation
The bill has bipartisan support, but the LA Times reports that its passage and implementation remain uncertain.
John Feal, a 9/11 site responder and advocate, warned of potential administrative hurdles: “Getting the piece of legislation passed is not as hard as guarding it.”
He said that growth in the number of claims and applicants could strain the system.
The legislation would allow eligible firefighters to access an existing benefits scheme, but disability and education support would still be subject to annual budget approval.
Previous programmes cited as cautionary examples
Attorney Michael Barasch, who represents clients from the 9/11 community, said streamlined eligibility will be necessary to avoid delays.
“In my experience representing more than 40,000 members of the 9/11 community, any similar program should have a clear set of standards to determine eligibility,” Barasch said to KFF Health News.
Feal added: “There’s a backlog on enrollment into the WTC program because they’re understaffed, and there’s also a backlog on getting your illnesses certified so you can get compensated.”
The bill would add cancer diagnoses unrelated to 9/11 to the list of qualifying conditions for the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program.
Firefighters with cancer from wildfires could get federal benefits under proposed US law: Summary
The LA Times has reported that US Senators have reintroduced the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act to support firefighters with service-related cancers.
The legislation would enable firefighters to access the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program for conditions not related to the 9/11 attacks.
The January 2025 wildfires in California prompted new research which found toxic exposure among firefighters.
Concerns remain over the implementation of the bill, including documentation challenges, staffing levels and funding consistency.
A similar bill was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2024 but did not progress.
The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated an annual cost of $250 million.
Advocates say the program must avoid the administrative delays seen in 9/11-related compensation schemes.
The legislation is backed by a number of senators and firefighter associations.
