The Florida Senate has unanimously passed a bill that would guarantee health care benefits to firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancer.
The bill was passed with a 38-0 vote on Tuesday.
If passed by the House and signed into law, it would allow for certain disability payments to firefighters and death benefits to their families if they died as a result of cancer or cancer treatments. The legislation would cut out the need for firefighters to file workman's comp claims in some instances.
Related: Widow of a firefighter is devastated that newest cancer bill might not make it to the floor
Similar legislation has been introduced for years but to no avail. Advocates for the bill say cancer is considered the most dangerous threat for full-time firefighters.
Mike Billek, a driver engineer for Tampa Fire Rescue, is a third generation firefighter. His father passed away from melanoma, one of the 21 cancers covered by this bill. He was thrilled with the Senate vote. "I'm sure that my dad is watching today from up above, and I think he would be proud. Actually, I know he would be proud. Ultimately he wanted his family and his fire department family not let what happened to him, go by the wayside, to be advocates and to push for people who it may not be too late for, to hopefully benefit them.”
According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, cancer caused 61 percent of line-of-duty deaths. Firefighters have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and are 14 percent more likely to die from it than the general public, according to The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety.
“I would tell you that today is a historic day in the Florida firefighter service. We have finally done the right thing. And it took years. It took time for the appropriate language -- the appropriate research, but finally, everything is coming full circle. And ultimately we are going to fall in line with 45 plus other states,” said Billek.
The Florida House is expected to consider its version of the bill this week.
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