Work and service exposure guide
Updated Oct 6, 202632 sources
Many states presume some firefighter cancers come from the job. See what each law says, the federal rule, which records help, and how foam and gear lawsuits differ.
These are cited sources. Their inclusion does not imply that they endorse People’s Justice or reviewed this page.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Publisher of the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer page
“Firefighters are exposed to chemicals on the fireground that could increase their risk of developing cancer.”
NIOSH: National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (opens in a new tab) · Dec 9, 2025 · Checked Oct 6, 2026
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health · 2025
Read the source: National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (opens in a new tab) · Checked Oct 6, 2026
Not covered by this case
Usually, a worker must show that the job caused an illness to get benefits. A presumption law shifts that for some firefighter cancers. If you meet the law's terms, the cancer is presumed to come from the job.
In most of these laws, the employer or insurer can still try to show another cause. That is called rebutting the presumption.
Not every law is about workers' comp. Some cover a pension, a disability retirement or a death benefit. Kentucky's law covers only a death benefit.
Each state sets its own list. Some name certain cancers, like bladder or kidney cancer. Others cover any cancer tied to exposure to a known carcinogen, which is a cancer-causing substance.
Most laws also set conditions. Common ones are a minimum number of years on the job and a work exam that found no cancer when you started.
Some laws do not apply to tobacco users. Some last only for a set time after you leave the job.
Some laws say whether volunteer firefighters are covered. Many do not say.
The table below sums up the laws of 26 states and Washington, D.C. Each row links to the law we checked.
Under 5 U.S.C. 8143b, federal comp law presumes some illnesses come from fire work. You need at least 5 years of fire protection work in total. The illness must be found within 10 years of your last day of that work.
The law dates from December 2022. It can cover firefighters, including wildland crews, plus paramedics, EMTs, rescue workers, ambulance staff and hazmat workers. You must be trained to fight fires and have the legal duty and power to do so. Fire or emergency work must be a main part of your job.
The federal list names bladder, brain, colorectal, esophageal, kidney, lung, prostate, testicular and thyroid cancer. It also names leukemias, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma and COPD, a lung disease.
A sudden heart event or stroke during fire or emergency work, or within 24 hours after it, is on the list too.
The law tells the Department of Labor to review the list. It also called for a study of breast cancer, cancers of the female sex organs, and rhabdomyolysis, a muscle breakdown. Ask the federal workers' comp office how current rules apply to your diagnosis.
NIOSH studies job safety and runs a cancer registry for fire crews. It says chemicals at fires could raise cancer risk. Many questions are still open. The registry helps study these risks.
Any U.S. firefighter can join, with or without cancer. That includes active, former and retired firefighters, and career, paid-on-call and volunteer firefighters.
NIOSH plans to compare firefighters who get cancer over time with those who do not. Joining is a research step. It is not a claim, and it does not start one.
A presumption law is a legal rule about benefits. It does not show what caused any one person's cancer.
Keep proof of your service, such as dates, departments and roles. Keep copies of your hiring exam and any yearly exams. Many state laws depend on an exam that found no cancer when you started.
Ask your doctor for the records that name the cancer and the date it was found. For many cancers, the pathology report gives the final diagnosis.
Your doctor normally has up to 30 days to send you copies. Our medical records request tool helps you write the request.
Our guides to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and mesothelioma explain signs, tests and records.
Some lawsuits are about PFAS chemicals. Firefighters claim they were harmed by PFAS in firefighting foam, called AFFF, or in turnout gear. These lawsuits are against the companies that made the products, not against an employer.
Presumption laws and workers' comp are about benefits tied to your job. A lawsuit is a separate path. A lawyer can look at your records and tell you if you may have a claim.
Each case page below explains what is happening in those cases now.
As of Oct 6, 2026
Scroll across to see all columns and row sources.
| State | Benefit | Cancers covered | Main conditions | Volunteers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | City disability and death benefits | Any cancer, if you show work exposure to a known carcinogen linked to it | 3+ years as a firefighter. Entry exam found no cancer. Cancer shows up while in city service. | Not stated | Source: Ala. Code § 11-43-144 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Alaska | Workers' comp | Brain, melanoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, bladder, ureter, kidney, prostate, breast | 7+ years in Alaska. Exams at hire and each year for 7 years. Must show exposure to a known carcinogen. Firefighter I certificate required. Can last up to 60 months after you leave. | Yes, for volunteer departments registered with the state fire marshal | Source: AS 23.30.121 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Arizona | Workers' comp | 23 named types, such as bladder, breast, colon, kidney, lung, ovarian, prostate and testicular | 5+ years on hazardous duty. Entry exam found no cancer. Some cancers need an NFPA-aligned exam. Covers former firefighters 65 or younger, diagnosed within 15 years of leaving. | No (full-time only) | Source: A.R.S. § 23-901.09 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| California | Workers' comp | Any cancer, including leukemia, if you show exposure to a known carcinogen | Cancer shows up during service. Can last up to 120 months after you leave (3 months per year served). | Yes | Source: Cal. Lab. Code § 3212.1 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | Line-of-duty disability or death retirement | 18 named types, such as bladder, breast, colon, kidney, prostate and testicular | 10+ years with DC Fire and EMS. Entry exam found no illness. Exposure to a toxic substance on duty. | No (sworn members only) | Source: D.C. Code § 5-653; § 5-655; § 5-651 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Florida | Treatment costs, a one-time payment and line-of-duty retirement (not workers' comp) | 21 named types, such as bladder, breast, colon, kidney, lung and testicular | 5+ straight years with the employer. No tobacco or other high-risk job for 5 years. Some health benefits may last 10 years; more terms apply. | No (full-time only) | Source: Fla. Stat. § 112.1816 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Iowa | Accidental disability or death pension | Any cancer | Presumed to come from duty. For newer members, not if the cancer comes from a condition known when you joined. | Not stated | Source: Iowa Code § 411.6(5)(c); § 411.1(6); § 97B.50A(2)(c) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Kentucky | Line-of-duty death benefit only (not workers' comp) | 12 named types, such as bladder, brain, breast, colon, kidney and prostate | Death only. 5+ straight years. No cancer before hire. Work exposure to a linked known carcinogen. Death within 10 years of leaving and before 65. No tobacco for 10 years before diagnosis. | Yes | Source: KRS 61.315(11) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Maine | Workers' comp | Kidney, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, colon, leukemia, brain, bladder, multiple myeloma, prostate, testicular, breast, gynecologic | 5 years as a firefighter. A test on the job found no cancer. Signed statement on family history and other exposures. Diagnosed within 10 years of last service and before age 70. | Yes | Source: 39-A M.R.S. § 328-B · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Maryland | Workers' comp | 14 named types, such as bladder, brain, breast, kidney, prostate and thyroid | 10+ years of service in Maryland. Cancer from a toxic substance met on duty. Leads to disability or death. | Covered volunteers need an exam before service | Source: Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 9-503(c) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | Accidental disability or death retirement | Cancers of many body systems, such as skin, breast, blood, digestive and urinary, if a type that may come from heat, radiation or a known or suspected carcinogen | 5+ years of service. An entry or later exam found no cancer. Cancer first found within 5 years of last active service. | No (paid departments only) | Source: M.G.L. c. 32, § 94B · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Workers' comp | Cancer of a type caused by heat, radiation or a known or suspected carcinogen linked to it | On active duty and unable to work. For hires after Aug. 1, 1988, cancer found at hire may block it. A later exam may show it is gone. | Not stated | Source: Minn. Stat. § 176.011, subd. 15(c) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Missouri | Pension disability or death benefits (not workers' comp) | Cancers of many body systems, and any cancer that may come from heat, radiation or a known or suspected carcinogen | Paid department member. An exam within 5 years before the claim found no cancer. Must show tobacco did not cause or add to it. | No (paid departments only) | Source: RSMo § 87.006.2 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Montana | Workers' comp | 13 named types, with 4 to 15 years of service needed. Breast cancer: before 40, with no known genetic tie | Shows up within 10 years of last firefighting. 1+ year in Montana since July 1, 2019. Medical and family-history exam rules. Exams at hire and every 2 years. Tobacco and home-smoke limits. | Only if the employer opts in | Source: Mont. Code Ann. § 39-71-1401; Mont. Code Ann. § 39-71-1402 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Nevada | Workers' comp | Any cancer tied to a known or likely carcinogen. The law names many, such as bladder, breast, kidney, thyroid and uterine | 5+ years of service. Yearly cancer screenings. Time limits vary. Some retiree claims cover only medical costs. | Yes, if covered by workers' comp | Source: Nev. Rev. Stat. § 617.453; see also § 617.454 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | Workers' comp | Cancer (no list) | 10 years as a firefighter. Required exams. Tobacco-free. Employer must follow state gear use and cleaning rules. Retirees may get medical costs paid for up to 20 years, with required exams. | Yes | Source: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 281-A:17, II · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| New Mexico | Workers' comp | 21 named types, such as bladder, colon, kidney and lung. Breast: no BRCA gene risk. Testicular: no sign of anabolic steroid or growth hormone use | Diagnosed after 5 years on the job. Not found in the hiring medical screening. | No (full-time only) | Source: N.M. Stat. Ann. § 52-3-32.1 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| New York | Line-of-duty disability or death pension, New York City only | Cancers of many body systems, such as blood, digestive, breast and urinary, plus melanoma | Entry exam found no cancer. Retirees covered up to 5 years after retiring. | No (paid New York City members) | Source: N.Y. Gen. Mun. Law § 207-kk · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| North Dakota | Workers' comp | Cancer from smoke, fumes or toxic substances on active duty | 5 straight years of service. Exam found no cancer. Tobacco rules. Diagnosed within 2 or 5 years of leaving, based on years served. | No (full-time paid only) | Source: N.D. Cent. Code § 65-01-15.1; see also § 65-01-15 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Firefighter pension disability benefits | Any cancer | Not found in the exam passed on entry. No presumption without that exam. | Not stated | Source: Okla. Stat. tit. 11, § 49-110 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Texas | Workers' comp and other employee benefits | Stomach, colon, rectum, skin, prostate, testis, brain, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, melanoma, kidney (renal cell) | 5+ years as a firefighter. Exam found no cancer. Cancer found while employed. Regularly at fires or chemical releases. Tobacco rules. | Yes, for certified volunteers who meet drill and call rules | Source: Tex. Gov't Code § 607.055; §§ 607.051-.052, 607.057-.058 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Vermont | Workers' comp | Leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and cancers that start in 12 body sites, such as bladder, breast, kidney and skin | 5+ years in Vermont. Cancer screenings found no cancer. Under 65. No tobacco for 10 years. Diagnosed within 10 years of last service. | Not stated | Source: 21 V.S.A. § 601(11)(E)-(G) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Virginia | Workers' comp | 12 named types, such as bladder, breast, colon, prostate, throat and thyroid | 5+ years of service. Pre-hire exam if the employer asks. Some cancers count only if diagnosed after a set date. | Yes | Source: Va. Code § 65.2-402(C) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Washington | Workers' comp | 16 named types, such as bladder, breast (women), kidney, melanoma and testicular | 10+ years of service. Exam at hire found no cancer (or none was given). Can last up to 60 months after you leave. | Not stated | Source: RCW 51.32.185 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| West Virginia | Workers' comp | Leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, bladder, mesothelioma, testicular | 5+ years as a paid firefighter in West Virginia. Little or no tobacco for 10 years. Not over 65. Bladder, mesothelioma and testicular end July 1, 2027, unless extended. Law also has a 6-month fire or drill rule; ask how it applies. | Not stated | Source: W. Va. Code § 23-4-1(h) · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Duty disability or death benefits (not workers' comp) | Cancers of the skin, breast, nervous system and many other body systems | 10+ years of service. Exam before hire found no cancer. Tobacco rules for some cancers. | Not stated | Source: Wis. Stat. § 891.455 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
| Wyoming | Workers' comp and firefighter retirement | Cancer, lymphoma or leukemia that may come from heat, smoke, radiation or a known or suspected carcinogen | 10+ years as a firefighter. Exam found no cancer. Seek it within 10 years of leaving. Tobacco rules. | Yes, with drill and call minimums | Source: Wyo. Stat. §§ 27-15-101 to -103; § 27-14-902 · as of Oct 6, 2026 |
This table lists what each state's law says. It is not legal advice. Workers' comp rules have more conditions than shown here. Other states may have laws we could not check against official text.
Checked against 32 primary sources by People's Justice editors · Updated
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