Firefighters have a much higher risk of developing certain cancers than other people do, because of their long-term exposure to smoke and other hazardous chemicals and materials. Over the last few sessions, the Utah Legislature has been working to help firefighters who are battling cancer.
In 2025, lawmakers passed a law to set up a program to screen the state’s firefighters for cancer, and this year, they’re setting up a fund to help them pay for cancer treatment.
While presenting his bill, HB416, to committee on Thursday, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, spoke about how as more firefighters are being screened for cancer the need for funding becomes greater. “As more firefighters are getting screened and more cancers are being found, we’ve heard some complaints and feedback that there’s a gap between when that cancer’s detected and when the workers’ compensation claims” are completed, he said.
What HB416 would do is establish a cancer benefit trust fund to help these firefighters pay their medical bills and lessen the burden on them and their families.
