Bill Would Modify Federal Firefighter Presumption Standards

Federal lawmakers are proposing to revise the definition of fire protection activities that qualify firefighters for the presumption that cancer arose from employment. HR 10001, introduced Thursday, would explicitly add fuels specialists, burn bosses and prescribed fire crew members to the statutory definition of employees performing fire protection activities. The list currently includes wildland firefighters, paramedics and rescue workers. The bill would also clarify that the presumption applies to those trained and engaged in prescribed burns as well as fire suppression. It would exp...