Virginia Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to fund more medical screenings for firefighters, who have an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease through their line of work.
The vote comes a little over a month after Matt Gallina, a fire investigator who was on the force for over 20 years, died of esophageal cancer. He was 48.
Addressing the council last week, Fire Chief Kenneth Pravetz spoke about Gallina’s funeral.
“What if we could have done something? What if we could have prevented us being at that event?” he said. “We have the power and the opportunity to make some positive change for our firefighters.”
There are 11 open workers’ compensation claims for cancer in the fire department, and the existing screening process did not identify any of those cancer cases, Pravetz said.
However, a screening organized last year by the fire department and the risk management department found four cases of cancer among fire department employees. Three of the employees have since returned to work after receiving treatment.
“So screening does work,” Pravetz said.
Firefighters’ work and schedules also put them at higher risk of heart disease at younger ages than the rest of the population. In Virginia Beach, two firefighters died of cardiac-related issues in 2020 and 2021. The fire chief said each claim cost the city about $600,000. Cancer claims can be even more costly.
Regular screenings for cancer and heart disease can help detect illness at earlier, more treatable stages – potentially saving lives and saving treatment costs. Preventing one claim for late-stage cancer would cover screening costs for the department for several years, Pravetz said.
The city estimates the total cost for enhanced screenings to be $800,000 per year.
Several council members voiced their support for the funding at last week’s meeting, including Sabrina Wooten.
“These are life-saving efforts for the folks who go out and save lives every day,” she said.
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
