Members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), along with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters and Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters, gathered on Capitol Hill to lobby for the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act (S.930/H.R.1719).
The legislation aims to provide greater federal benefits to families of fire fighters who have died from occupational cancers.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in March 2023, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in May.
IAFF General President Edward Kelly emphasized the importance of the bill: “When a fire fighter dies from occupational cancer, we owe it to them to ensure their families get the line-of-duty death benefits they are owed.”
Families who lost loved ones in the line of duty joined IAFF union leaders to advocate for the bill.
Julie Paidar shared her story about losing her husband, Mike Paidar, to acute myeloid leukemia in 2020.
Mike was a captain in the Saint Paul Fire Department.
Local 21 Secretary Kyle Thornberg supported the cause, stating: “It is crucial we appropriately acknowledge the impact when a fire fighter perishes due to their exposure to harmful chemicals and toxic PPE.”
Aimee Griffin and her son also lobbied, sharing the story of her husband, Christopher Griffin, a fire fighter from Norfolk, VA, who died of glioblastoma in 2021.
Aimee emphasized the need for expanded benefits: “We’re also all our kids have left, and we need to make sure their needs are taken care of too.”
In 2023, 72 percent of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service were due to occupational cancer.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act aims to expand the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program to include these deaths.
Currently, the PSOB covers deaths from traumatic incidents or specific conditions like 9/11-related cancers but not occupational cancers comprehensively.
Local 2924 President Max Gonano highlighted the challenges in getting cancers covered: “It’s very difficult to get these cancers covered, although we know it’s being caused by the job.” Sen.
Tim Kaine (D-VA) expressed his support on social media, praising the IAFF and the families of fallen fire fighters.
Julie Paidar expressed gratitude for the opportunity to advocate: “Working together with widows, children, friends, and fire fighters, we visited over 150 congressional offices to advocate for the bill.”
The effort to pass the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act was a priority at the IAFF’s Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference.
General President Kelly called for congressional support: “Congress must stand with our families and recognize occupational cancer deaths as occurring in the line of duty.” The IAFF encourages members to use their online advocacy center to contact Congress and support the bill.
