Next week’s 2024 IAFF Legislative Conference,fromMarch 3 to 6 in Washington, D.C., will allow members to engage directly with legislatorsand advocatefor crucial issues affecting firefighters’ jobs, health, safety, and economic security.
The Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference has long been the cornerstone of the IAFF’s legislative efforts. Over the years, the IAFF has won many significant victories – such as creating a national fire fighter cancer registry, establishing the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program to support safe staffing, ensuring the first responders of 9/11 receive the health care they deserve, and defeating legislation designed to undermine our members’ defined benefit pensions – due in large measure to the work of local IAFF leaders at this conference.
We spoke with two members about what they look forward to the most at the annual IAFF Legislative Conference and why it’s important to build relationships with their elected officials.
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Local 341 members with Mayor Whitmire.
Roy Cormier, Local 341, Houston, TX
Q: Have you ever been to the IAFF Legislative Conference and what is your favorite part of the event?
A: I have been to the Legislative Conference, and I normally go annually. It is a great conference to go to. One of the highlights for me is that it allows you to reach out to your U.S. Representatives and Senators and push some of the IAFF’s political agenda items. This event has always brought about great speakers. In 2023, we had President Joe Biden, that was great to be there to hear his support for fire fighters firsthand. There have been great speakers in the past. I would say the IAFF even one year had Tucker Carlson, and he was a great speaker.
Q: What would you tell other members about building relationships with elected officials?
A: As the largest city in Texas, we have more representatives and senators than any other, so much of our effort is dedicated to ensuring that other cities understand their significance in this process. We cannot rely solely on Houston representatives to address all the needs of our city. Additionally, considering the committees each member serves on, a Houston-related issue might be overseen by a committee representative from Brownsville, for example. It is essential to involve firefighters from Brownsville, Dallas, San Antonio, and beyond. Building relationships with these groups is crucial for our success in addressing the needs of Houston firefighters, Texas firefighters, and the firefighting community.
OAPFF President Jon Harvey
Jon Harvey, President of the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters
Q: Are you going to LegCon this year?
A: We are going. In Ohio, we make sure that we have our state leadership go, and we encourage our members to go, but the biggest thing for us being at LegCon is the ability to network with those politicians that we do not usually see in the state very often. Also, being a part of the political program and trying to push our agenda. It helps when we go in as the electorate to these politicians to be able to voice our opinions and what it means to the 13,000 professional fire fighters in the state of Ohio.
Q: How do you build relationships with elected officials or those running for office?
A: Most politicians love the idea of fire fighters. It is convincing them that we need more than just a pat on the back. The IAFF gets it right 100 percent. We support those who support us, and that motto goes a long way. In Ohio, we have switched our political program to show us your support by doing something, not just telling us. We have tied some of our political contributions to what people are doing and really reached out to both sides of the aisle and tried to grab those moderates that we can work with, and that has been the biggest help for us.”
Signs posted saying, “No on Issue 1.”
Q: What is your advice to other members about being more politically involved in local, state, and national politics?
A: A lot of our members like to think our job is not political, and every part of our job is political. The gear we wear, the trucks we ride on, the wages we make are all voted on by politicians, and our pension is controlled by the state legislator. Every aspect is political. If you are not engaging in that you are asking someone else to win the game for you. As fire fighters, we rush into a burning building to extinguish flames; we do not stand outside and expect someone else to put it out for us; if we do the house will just burn to the ground. Locals that are not engaged politically, it will just burn to the ground eventually.”
The repeal of Michigan’s right-to-work law went into effect this week, delivering an important victory for the state’s unions and workers.
“The day this repeal went in effect was a great day for all of labor,” Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union (MPFFU) President Matthew Sahr said. “MPFFU members were exempt from the law, but we stood with our union brothers and sisters in this fight because stronger unions equal a stronger working class.”
The impact will be immediate for many workers in Michigan, researchers said. According to a report from the Economic Policy Institute, workers in right-to-work states make 3.2% less than those in states without the law. On average, the Institute said in a brief, that results in $1,670 less per year for a full-time worker.
The right-to-work law had prohibited unions from requiring nonunion employees to pay dues, even if they bargained on their behalf. The law was passed in 2012.
The move sparked thousands of union members, including IAFF principal officers and MPFFU members, to protest on the Capitol lawn. But state leaders were undeterred by the outcry and then-Gov. Rick Snyder signed the legislation into law.
MPFFU members continued to fight on behalf of unions until the repeal was passed in March 2023 and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. By law, the change could not take effect for a certain number of days.
Linda Reinstein remembers the day she learned her husband had Mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It was 2003, and Alan had been sick for months. A series of tests and visits to doctors would finally reveal the devastating diagnosis.
Alan died in 2006, leaving behind his wife and daughter. The final year of his life was especially devastating, Linda said. He was, she said, “tethered to supplemental oxygen, like a dog on a leash.”
Linda was outraged that her husband, who had worked as a metallurgical engineer and done some home repairs as a hobby, had been unknowingly exposed to a deadly carcinogen. She also struggled to understand why people were still being exposed to asbestos.
“I was grief-stricken,” Reinstein said. “I was also furious that all of us are still at risk for asbestos exposure. This cancer is 100 percent preventable by eliminating exposures. So, I decided to put my anger to good use. I would tell our story until Congress passed a complete ban.”
Linda, with Alan’s support, co-founded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) with Doug Larkin, who also had a loved one diagnosed with Mesothelioma, in 2004. The organization’s mission is to create awareness, advocate for stricter laws and regulations, and provide community support.
Fast forward 20 years, and Linda, as president of the ADAO, is still waging the battle. Today, she is working with the IAFF, a longtime advocacy partner, to push Congress into action. The two organizations sponsored a billboard ad in New York City’s Times Square encouraging anyone who saw it, “Tell Congress. Ban Toxic Asbestos. Ban Asbestos Now.”
Highlighting the campaign are three critical facts: there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, asbestos claims 40,000 lives in the U.S. annually, and fire fighters are twice as likely to develop mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure than the general population according to a NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety) cohort study.
In the article, IAFF General resident Edward Kelly said, “Asbestos can be released into the air during a fire and poses risks [not isolated to] inhalation. If asbestos fibers land on fire fighters’ gear, they can ride back to firehouses and eventually to fire fighters’ homes.”
Asbestos is particularly dangerous because exposure is so easy. All it takes is a small piece of it to be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. And the latency period from the time of exposure to a diagnosis of a related disease is up to 40 years.
“When my husband got sick, I tried to research asbestos and Mesothelioma. I was surprised how few sources of information were out there,” Reinstein said. “We faced aggressive treatment options and didn’t know where to turn. The feelings of isolation consumed us.”
After the ADAO was created, Reinstein made sure other affected families would not have the same experience. One of her first acts was to call the public’s attention to the issue by going to Washington, D.C. to garner support from congressional leaders for the passage of an Asbestos Awareness Day Resolution.
She found support in the late Senator Harry Reid, who sponsored the first resolution in 2005. The resolution was renewed every year for several years and, eventually, expanded to Asbestos Awareness Week, now held every April 1-7.
The resolution calls for continued work to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos and urges the U.S. Surgeon General to educate the public on the risks throughout the first week of April.
Reinstein’s goals are to pass a total ban on asbestos in the United States and reform the weak federal Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Over the years, she has built a coalition of organizations like the American Cancer Society Action Network (ACS CAN) and the IAFF to generate support.
“Linda is tireless in her efforts to ban asbestos in the United States, urging dozens of House and Senate Offices to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Act,” ACS CAN Federal Relations Director James Williams Jr. said. “Linda’s moral courage, optimism, and hope has been our fuel, in the words of my former boss, Rep. John Lewis, to ‘keep the faith.’”
Reinstein family after Alan’s Mesothelioma diagnosis.
The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act was introduced in 2017, 2019, 2021, and, most recently, 2023 after some poignant testimony by Reinstein and the IAFF.
If passed, the legislation would prohibit the manufacture, processing, use and distribution in commerce of commercial asbestos and mixtures and articles containing commercial asbestos, and for other purposes.
Currently chrysotile asbestos, or white asbestos, is still being imported and used in the U.S. The chlor-alkali industry utilizes it to create chlorine that is then used to disinfect drinking water.
Additionally, the so-called “legacy” asbestos is also a threat. This is because asbestos was used for insulation and flooring, so it still exists in older buildings. Additionally, some asbestos contaminated automotive parts including brakes and gaskets are still being imported into the U.S.
Reinstein testified about the bill before the Senate Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight.
“On behalf of ADAO and the thousands of American families that have lost loved ones to this lethal carcinogen, the workers, their families, and the public who are continually exposed, and the hundreds of thousands who have lost their lives due to this lethal carcinogen, we urge that [this bill] be passed without delay to end the asbestos man-made disaster,” she stated.
IAFF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Danny Whu also testified. He offered a unique perspective as he was deployed to Ground Zero after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Fire fighters and emergency workers were exposed to large amounts of asbestos.
“Due to the latency period, fire fighters and others who were exposed in the aftermath of the terrorist attack and subsequent collapse of the twin towers continue to be diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers and diseases,” Whu testified. “You cannot change the past, but you can prevent future tragedies by banning asbestos today.”
The legislation was introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon. It has not come to the floor for a vote.
This past November, we featured four IAFF members who ran for office and won. Read their interviews hereand check out our social media for more behind-the-scenes looks at our members’ election efforts across the United States.
This month, we are following up with these members to see how they prepared for their new roles and how their first few months are going.
Tom Casey
Tom Casey, a retired fire captain and paramedic with Troy, NY Local 86 and an avid member of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Motorcycle Group, clinched victory in the Troy City Council race for District 6. Known for his dedication to public service and unwavering commitment to the Troy community, Casey’s win lights a promising new chapter for the district.
“Being voted majority leader and president protempore was a pleasant surprise,” said Casey, a Republican, who spent 30 years actively engaging inlocalelectoral politics outside of elected office. “I believed I could unite people despite differences and contribute significantly, as did my colleagues.”
The council consists of seven elected officials who serve two-year terms. This year, there is a Republican majority and Casey serves as Chair of the Public Safety Committee.
Casey says he is grateful for the IAFF’s help during his campaign. “I was given assistance with FIREPAC, and the money helped me get my message out.”
Driven by an inferno of desire to address the growing disconnect between people living in the community and their elected officials, Casey shared his motivation for stepping into the political arena. “There are no constituent relations anymore,” he said during a previous interview. “People here can’t seem to get their trash picked up or their streets plowed, and they have other issues, and no one is responsive to their needs.”
He is now standing by his word.
“One achievement I am particularly proud of is securing funding for a new fire engine and ambulance at our recent meeting,” he said. “Highlighting the critical importance of reliable equipment, I emphasized that fire engines and ambulances must operate flawlessly to save lives.”
Councilmember Tom Casey, along with Troy Mayor, and Carmella Mantello at a recent press conference.
Drawing from a family legacy engulfed in the fire service, Casey’s journey into public service was a natural progression. With both his father and uncle having served as captains before him, and now his son carrying the torch, Casey’s roots in the fire service burn brightly.
“As a firefighter, I’ve been on the frontlines every day, engaging directly with the public,” he said. “Unlike many who enter public office from administrative backgrounds, I have spent years interacting with people in our streets, and I believe that hands-on experience has truly shaped my approach.”
As a union member and staunch advocate for workers’ rights, Casey brings a unique perspective to the council. Witnessing firsthand the challenges faced by city employees and the community at large, Casey is committed to being a blazing beacon for their cause.
“Most people in the fire service are very involved in the community,” he said. “I think my connection to the fire service is profound; I wear my fire fighter’s lapel pin to every meeting as a symbol of gratitude for my career. There is no greater honor than serving as a fire fighter in your hometown.”
This past November, we featured four IAFF members who ran for office and won. Read their interviews here and check out our social media for more behind-the-scenes looks at our members’ election efforts across the United States.
This month, we are following up with these members to see how they prepared for their new roles and how their first few months are going.
Sacco and City of Canton Mayor William Sherer II.
Richard Sacco, a respected retired fire captain and Canton, OH Local 249 member, with a lifelong dedication to public service, has triumphed in the Canton City Council Ward 8 election, bringing his passion and commitment to the forefront of local governance.
Sworn into office in December, Sacco officially assumed his responsibilities in January. “I’ve been learning a lot, going around all the different departments,” he said.
Sacco credits his years of firefighting experience for instilling a deep appreciation for the importance of preparation and hands-on engagement. Reflecting on his journey, Sacco drew parallels between his time in the fire service and the challenges he anticipates facing in his new political role.
“Being in the fire service has equipped me with invaluable skills and insights,” he said. “Understanding contracts is crucial and experience in union negotiations has sharpened my ability to navigate these complex situations easily.”
Throughout his campaign, Sacco says he leaned on the unwavering support of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), recognizing the guidance as instrumental in shaping his campaign strategies and messaging.
Sacco in council chambers.
“They provided tremendous assistance. They took the time to sit down with me, explain procedures, outline necessary steps, and even refined my materials. It is remarkable how the local, state association, and international rallied to support me, especially considering the scale of the race,” he said. “The IAFF is a great resource for fire fighters considering running for political office.”
Sacco is committed to inspiring his community, including fellow firefighters considering political office.“You have to let them know that you’re there. The more you are involved, the more you can address issues.”
Newly elected to the Teays Valley Local School District Board of Education.
This past November, we featured four IAFF members who ran for office and won.Read their interviews hereand check out our social media for more behind-the-scenes looks at our members’ election efforts across the United States.
This month, we are following up with these members to see how they preparedfor their new roles and how their first few months are going.
Heith Good, a Norwich Township Fire Department lieutenant and member of the Norwich Township, Ohio Local 1723, was sworn intooffice on Jan 8. With more than 26 years of experience in the fire service, Good brings both a sense of duty and commitment to his community.
“It was exciting and surreal,” he said. “It’s a huge responsibility, and it’s an honor to serve our community in this role, understanding the importance of our community, staff, students, and parents, and being a voice for our school.”
Back in November, Good said he was first approached about running for office two and a half years ago, ignited by his active engagement in the community through the fire service and youth sports. “My heart is to serve the community, families, students, and staff,” he said.“If I can just be a voice of reason and understanding, that’s what I want to serve the school board with.”
Good credits his role as a peer support training instructorfor the International Association of Fire Fighters with broadening his skills in effective communication, active listening, and the importance of community in both the fire service and educational settings.
With the IAFF’s support, he was able to buy signs, flyers, and other essential materials for his campaign.
“The IAFF has prepared me in that way of understanding that sometimes, what I think is right may not align with the needs of the whole group,” Good said. “It’s important to keep an open mind, listen to other people’s backgrounds and views, and maintain an open mindset.”
Good speaking to students.
As he embarks on his new role, Good hopes to use his experience and passion for wellness to spark positive change in his community, encouraging other IAFF members to use their voices.
“The brothers and sisters of the IAFF are some of the most resilient and strong people I know,” he said. “If you are considering running for office, I challenge you to step up. We understand the importance of community service, yet few act. Let us engage in constructive dialogues and drive positive change. Firefighters have the potential to make a significant impact. I challenge firefighters across the U.S. and Canada to join the cause and create change.”
IAFF staff provide key strategies for increasing membership and collective bargaining.
Three dozen leaders from locals across Alabama attended a strategic workshop held by IAFF leadership earlier this month. The session focused on providing a playbook to strengthen local unions and establish collective bargaining rights.
“Increasing worker power is a full-time job,” said General President Edward Kelly. “This IAFF will show up whenever and wherever necessary – no matter the size of the local – to fight for a seat at the table when wages, benefits, and working conditions are being set. There is no other way to win.”
The four key objectives emphasized during the workshop were: growing overall membership by focusing on fire departments without 100 percent union participation; emphasizing the value of being in a union to the membership (especially new members); building political influence; and finding a path to collective bargaining.
“The 14th District is grateful to General President Edward Kelly for approving this workshop,” District Vice President Danny Todd said. “The IAFF team walked our members through the process of recruiting and how to establish collective bargaining in areas not traditionally friendly to unions.”
Todd continued, “Our members will take home the strategies learned in this workshop to increase the strength of their locals and plan for a path to bargaining.”
Feedback from the workshop was positive. Whether the member was new to the labor movement or was a seasoned veteran, everyone left with new ideas. Attendees also appreciated the opportunity to share stories about what was working and not working, especially with recruitment.
In Birmingham, Local 117 has doubled its membership size to 430 over the past couple of years.
“We had an issue with some members feeling like they were unfairly being passed over for promotion. Taking the proactive approach, we held classes which provided members with the steps they needed to take to ensure they were not passed over,” Local 117 President Stephen Cook said. “Fire fighters who were not yet members were able to see the value in union membership. That’s when we started to see a rise.”
Alabama is one of eight states (not reinforced by state statute) that allows local governments to offer collective bargaining.
This is where political power comes into play. To get collective bargaining, IAFF affiliates must help elect local government officials who are open to unions and negotiating contracts.
District Vice President Todd addresses class.
This is very important for affiliates like Huntsville Local 1833 who know exactly what it’s like to navigate union issues without collective bargaining. Had it been in place, a recent pay scale disparity issue would have been handled and resolved during that process.
Instead, the local spent months meticulously sifting through all department employees’ pay to determine the full scope of the problem and found 186 pay inequities that had to be fixed.
“This victory underscores a poignant truth. Fire fighters should have a seat at the table when policies are being developed to mitigate potential issues on the front end, so months or even years aren’t spent fixing problems on the back end,” Local 1833 President Hunter Robinson said.
The IAFF remains committed to passing national legislation to allow collective bargaining nationwide. But until that day comes, the International hopes to build off the recent successes in several states.
Recently in Georgia, South Fulton Local 3920 negotiated its second collective bargaining agreement. And, in Virginia, several municipalities now have collective bargaining after a law passed making the right available through local government ordinances. Several Mississippi locals have negotiated MOUs. Finally, in Louisiana, it is up to the local government to decide to enter into collective bargaining agreements which has benefited some IAFF locals.
Austin, TX Local 975 – with assistance from the IAFF’s General Counsel – won a battle with a group of taxpayers funded by the Goldwater Institute over contract-protected association time in the Texas Court of Appeals.
The three-judge panel in the case upheld a lower court’s decision, which not only said that association time was constitutional but that the association’s business served a public purpose as it facilitates positive labor/management relations between the fire fighters and the City of Austin.
“The ruling by the Court of Appeals was fair and just,” General President Edward Kelly said. “The Goldwater Institute is known for its anti-labor activism, seeking to chip away at union rights whenever and wherever it can. And that’s why the IAFF jumped into the fight, using our resources to back Local 975, protect workers, and keep Austin safe.”
The association leave provision in Local 975’s contract establishes a pool of 5,600 hours of paid leave for the Local 975 president and other authorized association representatives to use to conduct union business.
“Local 975 works hard to ensure the needs of its members and the community are met. This important mission takes a lot of time and dedication which is why we need the association time,” said Local 975 President Bob Nicks. “We were careful to structure our contract language so that we would be compliant with the law. That is why, on two separate occasions, Local 975 has been handed a favorable ruling in court.”
Taxpayers Mark Pulliam and Jay Wiley (later joined by Roger Borgelt) originally brought the lawsuit in 2016. They claimed a contract provision for association leave violated a state constitution clause prohibiting the transfer of public funds to predominantly private interests.
Attorneys representing Local 975 initially argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed under the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), a statute designed to shield individuals or entities from frivolous lawsuits. The Travis County judge agreed and ordered the plaintiffs to pay Local 975’s legal fees and pay an additional $230,500 to the Austin fire fighters.
The plaintiffs persisted in court, prompting an appeal that culminated in the recent decision by the Texas Court of Appeals. In this latest ruling, the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims that association time violated the state constitution’s gift clauses.
“This politicized attack on union rights, although the first of its kind in Texas, is the continuation of a nationwide anti-union campaign by the Goldwater Institute,” IAFF General Counsel Peter Leff said. “When the Insitute tried a similar action in Arizona, the effort failed thanks, in part, to an amicus brief submitted by the IAFF. We must stay vigilant as the Institute might try this in other states.”
The court also rejected the Goldwater Institute’s anti-union rhetoric, which suggested that labor organizations are not in the city’s interest and add no value to the community. The collective bargaining state statute clearly says fire fighter collective bargaining is in the public interest, the court found.
The decision detailed the many ways that Local 975’s work not only furthers the mission of the Association but also furthers [the Department’s] mission and public purpose of providing safe and efficient fire safety and emergency services.
Additionally, the court agreed that the union facilitates harmonious labor-management relations between the fire fighters and the city administration.
“The IAFF’s legal team has been with us every step of the way, including the hours they spent with us to prepare for the legal proceedings,” Nicks said. “We were prepared for every question. And I think that was reflected in the appeals court ruling.”
Borgelt, Pulliam, Wiley, and the State of Texas have petitioned the Texas Supreme Court to review the case. The review is pending.
Quand Gina Burke a entrepris sa carrière de pompière à St. John’s, Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, en 1992, la décontamination se pratiquait après une intervention relative aux matières dangereuses mais non après un incendie.
« Quand je suis entrée au service d’incendie et de secours de St. John’s, les pompiers portaient leurs tenues souillées comme si elles étaient des tableaux d’honneur affichant toutes les interventions auxquelles ils avaient participé », a-t-elle écrit en 2023. « Pour nettoyer sa tenue, on l’apportait à la maison et on la lavait dans son propre lave-linge. Vous pouvez imaginer les expositions que cela causait. »
En 2014, quand la consœur Burke avait 44 ans et travaillait pour le service d’incendie depuis 22 ans, un auto-examen de routine a révélé une masse dans le haut de l’extérieur de son sein droit. Il a fallu deux mois avant qu’elle puisse subir une mammographie, après laquelle elle a subi une échographie, suivie d’une biopsie qui a confirmé la présence d’un carcinome canalaire infiltrant de grade 2 avec caractéristiques lobulaires.
Un mois plus tard, elle a subi une double mastectomie. Celle-ci a été suivie de six cycles de chimiothérapie et de 24 cycles de radiothérapie. Elle a dit que c’était « mourir afin de vivre ».
Madame Burke a pu prendre une année de congé pour se rétablir de sa lutte contre le cancer avec l’approbation de la direction, profitant des « excellents avantages sociaux que nous avons dans la section locale 1075 ». Mais elle affirme que sa mère l’a beaucoup aidée, comme son mari Barry, également pompier de St. John’s, qui a pris soin de leurs deux enfants et effectué des quarts de travail supplémentaires qu’elle a pu prendre en congé compensateur.
Elle est rentrée au travail en septembre 2015, en même temps qu’elle entreprenait sept années de thérapie au tamoxifène, médicament employé pour traiter le cancer du sein à récepteurs hormonaux positifs à tous les stades chez les femmes comme chez les hommes. En octobre 2022, enfin libérée de son cancer et de ses traitements, elle a vécu l’expérience « douce-amère » de « rompre avec son oncologue », qu’elle considère maintenant comme un ami.
Aujourd’hui, elle se sent bien et s’estime débarrassée du cancer.
Bien que le cancer du sein compte parmi les 19 cancers actuellement assujettis à la loi sur la couverture présomptive de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, la province n’a établi cette couverture qu’en 2016, soit deux années après que le diagnostic de la consœur Burke a été posé. Avec l’aide de Jim O’Toole, membre du conseil exécutif de la section locale 1075 de St. John’s, et du vice-président du 15e district David Burry, une demande d’indemnisation a été présentée à Workplace NL. Cette demande, initialement rejetée, a été approuvée en appel. Les modalités de l’indemnisation sont en voie d’établissement.
Gina Burke and fellow fire fighters.
Madame Burke constate l’utilité de la couverture présomptive pour les personnes qui se font diagnostiquer des cancers professionnels. « Au moins, maintenant, on n’a pas à se sentir comme si on mendiait pour obtenir de l’aide. L’aide est là et il est reconnu qu’on risque notre vie », dit-elle, ajoutant
que la section locale 1075 a accompli un excellent travail en mettant l’accent sur la santé et la sécurité des pompiers et pompières et la législation assurant une couverture présomptive.
La consœur Burke partage généreusement son expérience avec d’autres quand l’occasion s’en présente afin d’aider à souligner l’importance de la prévention et de la détection précoce. « Oui, je parle à toute femme en tout temps, pas seulement à la caserne mais aussi avec ma fille et ses amies ou à des groupes sportifs. Je suis une personne réservée mais si je peux en aider une autre à éviter ne serait-ce qu’un dixième de la procédure, je trouve que ça vaut la peine. Occupez-vous des petites choses et les grandes se feront d’elles-mêmes. »
Elle accueille la prise de conscience au sujet de l’importance de pratiques comme la réduction au minimum des contacts avec des tenues sales, qui peuvent propager des toxines si elles sont lavées à la maison ou à la laverie automatique. « Rétrospectivement, je me dis ‘mais qu’est-ce que nous faisions?’. Mais quand je suis arrivée, nous avions six casernes et une seule avait une machine à laver le linge. Les choses ont changé, les gens sont plus conscients des dangers à la caserne, comme les gaz d’échappement et les SPFA dans la tenue d’intervention. »
Elle se réjouit en outre de la prise de conscience au sujet de l’utilisation appropriée de l’APRA. « Il y a des années, quand j’ai commencé à exercer mes fonctions, il était peu probable qu’on porte l’APRA pendant la remise en service. Nous étions insouciants à ce moment-là. Maintenant, tout le monde sait ce qui peut se passer. Nous sommes plus sensibilisés, plus diligents et plus soucieux de la sécurité. »
Malgré son expérience du cancer professionnel, madame Burke garde les choses en perspective et demeure positive. « Je n’ai jamais jeté de blâme. Les délais m’ont exaspérée, le fait qu’il m’a fallu une année pour me rétablir », dit-elle. « Je savais que ce serait difficile, mais j’ignoras que ça allait changer ma vie. Je n’ai pas de ressentiment pour autant. Et j’adore mon emploi. Je n’ai jamais cessé d’aimer mon emploi. »
When Gina Burke started her career as a fire fighter in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1992, decontamination was something done after hazmat calls, but not fires.
Gina Burke and her family during the holidays.
“When I first joined the SJRFD, it was a time when fire fighters wore their soiled turnout gear as a badge of honour, displaying all of the calls you had attended,” she wrote in 2023. “To clean your gear meant you brought it home and washed it in your own washing machine. You can only imagine the exposures.”
In 2014, when Burke was 44 and had been in the fire service for 22 years, a routine self-exam revealed a lump on the upper outer side of her right breast. It was two months before a mammogram could be arranged, which led to an ultrasound, followed by a biopsy that confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma, Grade 2, with lobular features.
A month later, a double mastectomy was performed, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy and 24 rounds of radiation, a tough experience that she described as “dying in order to live.”
Burke was able to take a year off to recover from her cancer battle, using “great benefits we have in Local 1075,” with approval from management. But she gives major credit to her mother for her support, and to her husband Barry, also a St. John’s fire fighter, who looked after their two children and worked overtime shifts that she was able to use as time off in lieu.
She returned to work in September 2015, when she also began a seven-year run on Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat all stages of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in women and men. In October 2022, finally free from her cancer and its treatments, she experienced the “bittersweet” experience of “breaking up with her oncologist,” who she now counts as a friend.
Gina Burke and fellow fire fighters.
Today, she feels good and considers herself cancer-free.
While breast cancer is among the 19 cancers currently included in Newfoundland and Labrador’s presumptive legislation, the province didn’t come forward with presumptions until 2016, two years after Burke’s diagnosis. With the assistance of St. John’s Local 1075 Executive Board member Jim O’Toole and 15th District Vice President David Burry, a claim was submitted with Workplace NL, which was initially denied but then accepted on appeal. Specific details about compensation are still being determined.
Burke sees how beneficial the presumptive coverage is for those diagnosed with occupational cancers going forward. “At least now you don’t need to feel that you’re begging for help and begging for support. It’s there, and it’s acknowledged that you are risking your life,” she says, adding that Local 1075 has done a great job of putting a focus on fire fighter health and safety and presumptive legislation.
Burke also generously shares her experience with others when the opportunity arises, to help underscore the importance of prevention and early detection. “Yes, I would talk to any woman any time, not just in the firehall; with my daughter and her friends or through group sports. I’m a private person, but if I can help someone avoid going through even a tenth of the procedure, that is so important. It’s the little things that take care of the big things.”
She welcomes the new awareness about the importance of practices such as minimizing contact with dirty gear, which can spread toxins when washed at home or at a laundromat. “I look back on it now, and I say, wow, what were we doing? But when I joined, we had six stations and there was only one with a
washer. Things have changed, people are more aware of everything in the firehall, like exhaust fumes and PFAS in turnout gear.”
Another welcome advance she sees is more awareness about proper SCBA use. “Years ago, when I came on the job, you probably didn’t wear SCBA during overhaul, it was more like you were wild and free. Now everyone’s aware what can happen to you. It’s more diligent, more safety oriented, and more educated.”
Despite her experience with occupational cancer, Burke keeps things in perspective and remains positive. “I never laid blame. I was more angry with the timeframe of it all, the year it took me to get better,” she says. “I knew I was in for a hard road that way, but I didn’t know how it would change my life. But I’m not resentful. I love my job. I never once disliked my job.”
