In a move that solidifies San Francisco's commitment to the health and safety of its first responders, Mayor Daniel Lurie has earmarked a $500,000 investment for a firefighter cancer prevention screening program. This initiative aims to combat the increased risk of cancer associated with the profession proactively. According to a statement by the Mayor's Office, the program will provide advanced screening for active-duty firefighters aged 40 or higher with a minimum of five years of service.
Modeling after the framework of the San Francisco Firefighter Cancer Prevention Foundation's program, the proposed pilot will include state-of-the-art imaging scans not typically covered by insurance. Mayor Lurie, having previously signed legislation to upgrade the SFFD fleet, continues his support with this new health initiative. In the same statement, the mayor highlighted the importance of early detection, stating, per the Mayor's Office, "When we catch cancer early, it drastically increases the survival rate of our firefighters."
Finally, the pilot aims to serve as a blueprint for potentially scaling the model. It includes mechanisms for assessing health outcomes and informing long-term strategies. Echoing the urgency of this measure, Sam Gebler, Vice President of San Francisco Firefighters Local 798, told the Mayor's Office, "Daniel Lurie is the first mayor who has truly recognized this crisis and stepped up to provide essential funding for cancer screenings and early detection that will save countless firefighter lives."
