STOUGHTON - The Stoughton Tecumseh Fire Department (STFD) has some long-time members.
They all had some things in common, including the desire to be firefighters for their town's fire department,t and one they wish they did not have and that is cancer.
Over the past years, six men from the STFD have been diagnosed with some type of cancer.
When firefighters go out on a call, especially structure fires, it is never know what they might be up against or what kind of chemicals or toxins may be involved. The risk of them getting cancer increases every time they go out.
For years, the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs (SAFC) and the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighters Association (SVFFA) worked hard to have presumptive legislation passed. This gave firefighters coverage for certain cancers through the Saskatchewan Workers Compensation board (WCB).
Cancers covered are bladder, brain, breast, cervical, esophageal, kidney, leukemia, lung, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ovarian, prostate, skin, testicle, ureter, laryngeal, mesothelioma, pancreatic, penile, soft tissue sarcoma and thyroid.
In the meantime, STFD Chief Pat slater has seen three of his members die from cancer.
Deputy Chief Don McIntosh was diagnosed with leukemia. He was 73 years old when he passed away on Jan. 24, 2018. He served for 49 years.
Deputy Chief John Wilton volunteered for the STFD for 31 years. During that time, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He died at the age of 60 on July 27, 2019.
Deputy Chief Ron Raynard was diagnosed with liver cancer. After serving 34 years, he passed away on Jan. 3, 2020, at the age of 67
Deputy Chief Doug Turner has also had cancer in the past. He has dealt with thyroid cancer and melanoma. Turner remains on the STFD and has over 36 years of service.
In the past two years more firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer.
Deputy Chief Ray Coderre was told he had colon cancer in September 2022. His treatment went well, and he has remained with the STFD for over 49 years.
Slater has joined the list of cancer fighters when he was diagnosed with skin cancer in March. The cancer was removed, and he is doing well. Slater has served for the STFD for over 42 years.
Coderre was the first and only one of the department members to receive anything from the WCB under the presumptive legislation for firefighters.
Firefighters know the risk is high, yet they feel it is their calling to volunteer and serve their communities.
With this legislation in place, this will give the men and women from all fire departments a little peace of mind.
