Submitted by Joe Micalizzi
Rachel Khanna has been a champion for first responders in her district and deserves a second term. I have been a firefighter in the City of Stamford for 13 years and served in the Town of Westport prior. As a second-generation firefighter who’s father was also on the job, I’ve been around the firehouse for as long as I can remember.
I say that, because I’ve watched the fire service evolve over the last 40 years. Not necessarily of our own volition, as much as it is due to the way buildings are being constructed – and ultimately, furnished. Lightweight construction methods create inherent dangers that force us to attack fire more aggressively than ever before. Structures burn hotter and faster than in the past, and we’re tasked with racing the clock in our fire attack before these buildings become structurally unsound.
Still, statistically the biggest killer (danger) we face is not fires, but cancer. Occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters. The personal protective equipment we wear and the hazardous conditions in which we work expose us to toxic carcinogens. In fact, the World Health Organization has designated fire-fighting a cancer-causing profession. It’s important enough that the point bears repeating… The equipment we wear, that is designed to protect us in hazardous environments, is actually saturated with chemicals that are slowly killing us with cancer.
Until last year, Connecticut was one of only two states that did not have presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters. This meant that the onus was placed on firefighters battling cancer to prove that their diagnosis was job-related. This process takes time, delays treatment and is very stressful – all while our members are fighting for their lives.
Rachel met with us repeatedly to discuss our concerns, and then introduced a successful bill to make cancer a presumptive category of coverage for professional and volunteer firefighters. Through bipartisan collaboration, Rachel and her colleagues found a way to secure benefits equal to those provided by worker’s compensation for firefighters battling occupational cancer. An arduous task, successfully accomplished without a need to raise local property taxes as the funding mechanism. We now join the 48 other states that give firefighters the benefit of the doubt when seeking compensation for cancer treatment.
The job wasn’t done there, though. Rachel continues to be an advocate against PFOA/PFAS chemicals that are so widely used in manufacturing, including our protective equipment. She’s been a champion for our health and safety, and we’ve been fortunate to have her as an advocate and friend.
Rachel gets results. She’s proven that time and time again. She’s in close touch with her constituents, and when she learns about a need, she will leave no stone unturned to resolve it. The genuine care and heartfelt concern that she offers is a refreshing attribute. I hope you’ll join me in giving her another opportunity to represent our district.
Joe Micalizzi is a career firefighter for the City of Stamford and serves as the legislative representative for the Stamford Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 786.