The City of Hialeah assesses the possibility of subjecting the city’s 225 firefighters and rescuers to regular medical tests for early detection of deadly diseases, so that those affected can undergo timely treatment.
Hialeah Council President Paul Hernandez said the issue was addressed at the virtual session on Tuesday 22nd and that the medical evaluation that the local government considers implementing is known as “scan life,” a comprehensive medical evaluation that would cost about $200,000.
“The mayor (Carlos Hernandez) is already evaluating the allocation of resources to protect the lives of our firefighters,” Councilman Hernandez said.
Hialeah Fire Union President Eric Johnson highlighted the initiative to implement medical evaluations of Hialeah firefighters and rescuers for early detection of deadly diseases.
For his part, The president of the Hialeah Fire Union, Eric Johnson, emphasized that one of the leading causes of death among firefighters is heart disease and cancer due to staff exposure to extreme situations in toxic environments, so he welcomed the municipal decision to protect the health of firefighters and rescuers, who represent “the first line of defense of the community.”
“Early and comprehensive cardiac evaluation gives us the opportunity to identify deadly diseases early,” Johnson said. “With the support of the mayor and the council, this evidence will be budgeted.”
