by Brian Scott-Smith CTNewsJunkie
NEW LONDON, CT – The state is expanding the health benefits and cancer screenings offered to firefighters enrolled in the state’s employee health plan and Partnership Plan, Gov. Ned Lamont and State Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced Monday.
More than 900 firefighters will be able to receive a full body scan every two years at no cost to them. The expected cost to the state for the scans is estimated at $150,000 annually.
The new benefit comes in response to evidence that firefighters are exposed more to cancer-causing toxic chemicals, smoke and carcinogens than the general population because of the nature of their work.
Scanlon, whose office looks after more than 250,000 state employees’ health plans, explained the new benefit at an event at a fire station in New London.
“ In just a few weeks, every single firefighter – 900 firefighters right now that are on our plan – starting on May 1, will be eligible for one free preventative scan every two years to make sure that they’re able to catch the disease early before they start having the symptoms,” Scanlon said.
Peter Brown, president of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, was instrumental in bringing the proposal to the state, officials said.
“ Occupational cancer has become an epidemic in the fire service,” he said. “It’s the number one killer of firefighters.”
Cancer accounts for nearly 75 percent of all line-of-duty deaths in Connecticut, he said.
Gov. Ned Lamont, left, and Comptroller Scanlon, far right, talk to local leaders and fire officials at the cancer screening event in New London on Monday, April 14, 2025. Credit: Brian Scott-Smith
“We’ve lost five firefighters to cancer over the last five years, and have over 30 diagnoses of our members since we started tracking those statistics only a couple short years ago,” Brown said. “That trend has to stop.”
Brown said part of that challenge is also about changing the way they work with new practices of cleaning and decontamination.
“ We’re always on the lookout for new initiatives, which will hopefully one day remove the deadly PFAS chemicals that are found in our turnout gear,” he said of the required gear the first responders wear. “But unfortunately, the risk will always be there. And until we find a cure for cancer, our best defense is through early detection.”
Gov. Ned Lamont speaks at the launch event for the new firefighter cancer screenings at a fire station in New London on April 14, 2025. Credit: Brian Scott-Smith
New London Firefighter Phillip Allen, who was hired by the city just three years ago, said his career almost got cut short if it hadn’t been for a preventative screening he chose to have.
“ To my surprise, I received a phone call,” Allen said. “A few days after the screening, they found a major concern. But due to early detection, I was able to get ahead and hopefully stay ahead of what they found in my cancer screening.”
Lamont said expanding the benefits is about showing respect for first responders.
“We shouldn’t just remember them at a time of need,” he said. “We always love our first responders, to call them heroes during COVID, during brush fires, during floods. Standing up and looking out for us. And right now, we’ve got to do everything we can to show our respect all the time.”
The hope is that early prevention will allow for more effective treatment, as costs associated with later-stage cancers are far greater, as are the health risks.Firefighters enrolled on the state employee health plan or Partnership Plan can find out more about the screenings at carecompass.ct.gov.