CORNER BROOK Jeff Sparkes is well aware of the risks of firefighting, all too familiar with the statistics of increased cancer in his profession, but his passion to help protect keeps him going.
However, the emotion of even contemplating his wife raising their two small children alone is overwhelming. The thought of her not receiving medical insurance benefits if he was to die from an occupation acquired cancer is unbearable.
Alex Forrest, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg and Canadian trustee on the International Association of Fire Fighters, gave his address on presumptive cancer legislation at the Atlantic Provinces Professional Fire Fighters Association biennial convention in Corner Brook Tuesday. The Western Star featured an article in Tuesday’s edition on the issues and concerns with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador being among the last jurisdictions in North America to adopt this legislation.
Sparkes, a Corner Brook firefighter, said he is aware of the risks of the job and the medical and research evidence which back it up. Every time he dons the gear and fights a fire, Sparks said he suscepts himself to a greater risk of developing some form of cancer. It is a point, when he reflects upon his young family, that brings tears to his eyes.
“With the scientific data available, we know this stuff is killing us,” Sparkes told The Western Star Tuesday. “It is increasing the cancerous risks and, for a new father with two small children, I worry about it all the time.”
The nearly five-year veteran of the Corner Brook Fire Department said firefighters live it every day, they are familiar with the risks.
“We see the dangers of it and we know what we are facing,” he said. “We are the ones coming back with the dirty faces, the dirty gear, and the dirty hands. It is on our skin and we are breathing it, even if we are protected very well with our breathing apparatus and our bunker gear. It still gets through.”
However, Sparkes said the public, politicians and bureaucrats, do not seem to have that level of understanding.
There is more emphasis and greater compliance with rules and regulations governing firefighting practices today, and the protective equipment has increased significantly. However, the city firefighter said the risks remain high.
It is the sense of satisfaction he gets from knocking down a fire, ensuring everybody inside a home is safe and sound, and saving whatever precious property he can, remains the driving force behind his work.
“It is hard to explain, and you can pretty much ask any firefighter you know, it is a love and it is in the blood — whatever ‘it’ is,” he said.
Meanwhile, Forrest said there are cases where firefighters in Newfoundland have gotten cancer and died, even as the lobbying efforts to have this legislation implemented continues.
The morning session was attended by Kim Patten, executive to the premier (Corner Brook office) and Terry Loder, MHA for the Bay of Islands. Forrest said, if they are bringing a message back to Premier Kathy Dunderdale and government, it should be firefighters will continue this fight.
“We are firefighters,” he said. “We are aggressive by nature.
“We don’t want to have to go to the legislature with widows and families to get a meeting with the premier.”
Also in attendance was Tony Adey, NDP candidate for the Bay of Islands. He was called upon to deliver a message from Lorraine Michael, the provincial party’s leader, whom he said has lobbied for and continues to urge government to put in place this legislation.
Adey said he and the NDP party will make presumptive cancer legislation a priority issue for the upcoming election.
“It is time for the Newfoundland government to recognize this as an absolute no-brainer,” he said. “With all the other provinces coming on side, there is absolutely no reason why the Newfoundland government should not be coming on side with this.
“...I think it is something the public would generally agree with as well. We are talking about the health and safety of the people that protect us in our homes when bad situations happen.”
In the meantime, an occupational disease advisory panel within the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission is reviewing the request from firefighters. A meeting has been requested by that panel, and is expected to take place some time following the convention.
Firefighters, police, caregivers, military and all others who assist in the preservation of our well being and way of life all across our country need to have the support of our citizens and provincial and federal gov'ts. As someone who has lived in a province with the NDP as the governing party for many years I know that they are not the answer to this or any other problem--they are a blight on society--and will bring down your province like a terminal disease. Education of those in the position of power is the answer.