The General Assembly passed a $25.9 billion bipartisan budget this week that included $15 million in funding over two years for PFFPNC’s Firefighters Fighting Cancer Act of 2021.

Governor Roy Cooper signed the bipartisan budget bill on Thursday afternoon, minutes after the final vote in the NC House. The presumptive cancer law goes into effect January 1, 2022. PFFPNC President Scott Mullins, who wrote the legislation with PFFPNC lobbyist/attorney Skye David, was elated to learn the news on Monday night when the budget was first released.

“After years of working on this presumptive cancer bill, it is a relief to see the General Assembly enact this important and life-saving legislation,” said Mullins. “From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful to the strong and steadfast leadership of the North Carolina House and all of our friends in the Senate who worked behind the scenes to make this possible.”

Mullins singled out Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland), House Majority Leader John Bell (Wayne/Greene/Johnston), House Rules Chairman Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), and House Appropriations Chair Jason Saine (R-Lincoln).

He also noted that the Senate version of the presumptive cancer bill filed by Senators Todd Johnson (R-Union) and Jim Perry (Wayne/Lenoir) made it possible for the House position to prevail in final budget negotiations.

PFFPNC Political Director Josh Smith stressed the important role these legislators played in PFFPNC’s strategy in 2021. “We knew that we had to write a new bill that doesn’t use workers compensation, run a concurrent Senate strategy with our House plan, and have it all converge in the final days of budget negotiations,” Smith said.

Mullins said he is humbled by the outpouring of appreciation from firefighters and their families, fire chiefs, legislators, the media, and North Carolina citizens who are thanking PFFPNC for writing House Bill 535 and executing a strategy to get the language in the final budget. “I think about all the firefighters who have been diagnosed with this terrible disease,” he said. “This win is about them and the firefighters who come behind them.”

The 2021 PFFPNC Convention got off to a fantastic start on Tuesday. The day included numerous addresses from our many supporters from IAFF General President Ed Kelly to NC Speaker of the House, Tim Moore.

The morning started with a State of the Union address from PFFPNC President Scott Mullins. He thanked the e-board for the extremely hard work they’ve done during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID hit everyone hard, but we fought for PPE, testing and vaccination.

We continued to work on cancer legislation, which currently is in the budget – a big thanks to Rep. Moore for his support on that. We’ve also worked on PTSD legislation and separation allowance.

We’ve added three new locals, with others in the works, grown membership across the state and offered training on political networking, organizing and communication.

IAFF General President Ed Kelly also addressed the crowd. We are so grateful to President Kelly for his support in getting cancer legislation passed. He is the first General President to walk the halls of NC State House, Mullins said. Kelly took time to talk to our political leaders in Raleigh, and we are forever grateful.

One reason for that is because presumptive cancer legislation in every state is a priority for Kelly. It is the No. 1 killer of our fire fighters. We must protect them and their families, he said.

President Kelly addressed the challenges of the last two years but said the IAFF is committed to its members and making the union stronger and better than ever with legislation, finances and taking care of our members and their families.

The keynote speaker of the day was NC State Speaker of the House Tim Moore. A crowd wearing yellow North Carolina Fire Fighters for Moore t-shirts greeted him.

Speaker Moore started his speech by asking, What can we do to make your job safer? It’s one reason he fought so hard for fire fighters in the upcoming budget, which Gov. Cooper announced today he would sign.

The new budget includes $15 million for supplemental insurance for fire fighters fighting cancer. There’s also more than $7 million to establish a pilot health program for fire fighters and additional funds for equipment.

“We went from the bottom of the nation to the top in fire fighter benefits.”

And it’s just the beginning, he said.

Rep. Jason Saine, who spoke next, added that it’s a budget we will all be proud of, and both representatives thanked PFFPNC members for working “hand in glove” to improve benefits for fire fighters.

Other speakers to round out the day included an update on the Peer Support Program from Greensboro VP Justin Price, as well as a new software developed by Wilmington’s Scott Monroe, called Essential Personnel, to assist with peer support, health and wellness. Several supportive vendors, including MDA, Spangler Restorations and Fire Fighter Cancer Network also addressed the crowd.

The day wrapped up with the start of business, including nominations for officers. Your current e-board will remain mostly in tactic. Reelected were:

• President Scott Mullins
• Secretary-Treasurer Josh Smith
• District 1 VP: Jeff Tracey
• District 2 VP: David Pollard
• District 3 VP: Keith Wilder
• District 4 VP: Ben Bobzien

 

There will be an election on Thursday for three available Trustees seats. Nominees are:

• Jerry Wiggins (current Trustee)
• Dave Coker
• Anthony Evans
• Tim Carpe

 

There were no resolutions to discuss and business was closed until 9 a.m. Wednesday.

 

North Carolina Fire Fighters: Speaker Moore is fighting hard for funding for your presumptive cancer benefits, but he needs your help. Go here to find your State Senator, and ask them to support and keep the Firefighters Fighting Cancer Act, on pages 497-498 of Senate Bill 105 (the North Carolina budget).

The Summer 2021 edition of The Carolina Blaze, PFFPNC’s quarterly magazine, is now out and available for reading.

Produced by PFFPNC in collaboration with the IAFF and the government relations/communication team at New Frame, this issue of the Firefighter includes photos from around the state, from Asheville to Statesville to New Hanover, as well as education articles on cooking and fire safety.

If you have any articles, photos or ideas for the next edition of The Carolina Blaze, email Matt Quarles at [email protected].

Click here to read the latest edition of The Carolina Blaze.