By Suzette Martinez Standring, Chief Correspondent
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(Photo of the late Lt. Jessica L. Wyman of Nashua, NH, during her cancer battle.)
Firefighters! Create a record of work-related carcinogenic exposure while on the job. In the event of occupational cancer, the documentation will help firefighters with benefits.
ADVICE FROM LT./FIRE INSPECTOR CHRIS WYMAN
Chris Wyman is a Lieutenant / Fire Inspector for the Merrimack, NH Fire Department. He previously worked for the NH State Fire Marshal’s Office where his duties included investigating firefighter “line of duty deaths.” On November 28, 2023, he lost his wife, Jessica L. Wyman, a retired Lieutenant with the Nashua, NH Fire Department to occupational lung cancer. He advises all firefighters to document possible cancer exposures. It only takes a few minutes to complete the paperwork, but could have an impact years later if you ever have to file a cancer claim.
HIS LATE WIFE’S EXPERIENCE WITH DOCUMENTATION
For example, his late wife, Fire Lieut. Jessica Wyman, did not begin to experience symptoms until the fall of 2022 and was not diagnosed with occupational cancer until January 5, 2023, but she fought two major tannery fires and a large chemical fire early in her career with the Nashua Fire Department. She had witnessed the effort her husband put into line-of-duty-death investigations, and because of that, she made sure she properly documented her exposures in these incidents.
CHECK ON YOUR STATE’S PROCEDURES FOR LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS
Check on procedures in your state, but here’s how it’s done in New Hampshire:
Line-of-duty-death (LODD) investigations begin with an official request submitted to the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Safety and an investigation conducted by the NH State Fire Marshal’s Office. If the investigation concludes that the death or cancer exposure occurred on the job, then the Commissioner recommends the LODD determination to the Governor and the Executive Council. Once confirmed, death benefits are awarded to the family of the fallen firefighter.
So, what happens if you didn’t document any exposures? A fire fighter will have to go back to examine fires attended, detailed incident reports, injury reports, etc. Start doing it now! Document any exposure you have on the job, whether you have to go to the hospital or not.
Note: When filing a cancer claim, the paperwork and the approval process can be time-consuming. Fire fighters or their families will be asked when the first exposure took place or for any documentation identifying an exposure.
DOCUMENT YOUR RISK EXPOSURE NOW
Don’t wait until you’re sick! Complete a Worker’s Compensation forms detailing the circumstances of exposure, even if there is no evidence of disease at the time of the incident. It takes five minutes. Have those documents placed in your personnel file through Human Resources. Nothing is affected by having documents in your personnel file. No doctor’s visit may be necessary, but if there is a possibility of toxic exposure, document it. If there is no record, it will be extremely difficult to go back in time to document exposure.
For Chris’s wife, Jessica, even with full documentation, it took from January to December of 2023 for workers compensation to accept the claim, and another six months for the line-of-duty-death investigation to be completed and benefits awarded.
Firefighters are exposed to a higher risk of toxic exposure, as Chris Wyman points out: building materials, furnishings, toxic smoke, and carcinogens present in a fire fighters protective gear.
PROTECTION FROM OCCUPATIONAL TOXICITY
Firefighters must protect themselves upon returning from a fire.
Make sure your gear and body is properly deconned.
Wash your hands and face, especially before eating anything.
Take your gear off and shower as soon as possible.
During a fire and overhaul, wear respiratory protection, even if air monitoring says the oxygen level is good. You may still be inhaling toxins from digging around in a fire.
Complete all worker’s compensation forms immediately, if you’ve had or believe you’ve had occupational exposure, and file it in your personnel file through HR.
NEXT POST: JESSICA WYMAN’S STORY AS SHARED BY HER HUSBAND, CHRIS WYMAN
The next blog post will feature Chris Wyman’s story about his late wife, Jessica L. Wyman,the first female firefighter to be promoted to Lieutenant for the Nashua (NH) Fire Department.
DO YOU HAVE A FIREFIGHTER RELATED CANCER STORY?
Please contact Suzette Standring if you, as a firefighter or family member, have a story to share.
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