With the turn of the calendar Tuesday, PEI firefighters and fire inspectors will have presumptive coverage for specific types of cancer and heart injuries. It’s a result of amendments to the Workers Compensation Act.
Stuart Affleck, Chair of the Workers Compensation Board, says the coverage will offer much needed care to many firefighters who may encounter serious health problems resulting from their valuable work.
The legislative and regulatory changes ensure that if a firefighter or fire inspector develops specific diseases or heart injury, it will be presumed that it is work related.