In 2008 Local 1014's past President, Former CPF Secretary-Treasurer, State of California OES (CalEMU) Chief, and our friend and Brother Dallas Jones lost his life to lung cancer and then posthumously found himself in a battle to link that cancer to his 30 years of service as a firefighter.  Once he lost his battle to cancer, we were then in a struggle to have him recognized on the State Memorial Wall.  We found that most firefighters were buying into the standards and limitations set by the original firefighter cancer presumption law signed into law by then Governor Jerry Brown with regard to retired firefighters linking cancer to the job, and thereby recognition for memorialization as well.  This was wrong, and we went to work to make sure proper thinking became the law. It took us two full years, but last week the Governor signed into law AB 2253 increasing cancer presumptions from 5 years after active duty to the new standard of 10 years.

While the original law was benchmark to say the least and started trends nationally, we had found it to be short of recognizing retired firefighters who are contracting cancer in the years 6-10 and beyond.  This extension of recognition is a new landmark piece of legislation that will reach firefighters throughout the state and eventually influence national caner presumptive laws.  Firefighters up to 10 years into retirement will have Cancer to be presumed to have come from the job and no longer have to battle and litigate to get treatment and benefits due to them and their families.

We should be proud as a local for pushing this issue on behalf of Dallas Jones and the need to progress further in this area.  Below is the history of the Bill that took two legislative sessions and more work than you know by our Local, the CPF, and many others to accomplish the change.  May Dallas Jones look down and smile knowing that his death helped us move a righteous labor issue forward on behalf of the membership, just as if he was still here with us.  Take a moment to read the Bill's details, and then think about educating yourself about cancer prevention and what you can do to help.  Link to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) and look for opportunities to help. 

Dallas is survived by his wife Lily, daughter Anadallas, and sons Mike and Bryan - both Firefighter's with Los Angeles County Fire Fighters.  They can also smile proudly as Dallas finishes one of his last pieces of work.

Thank you to Assemblyman Coto and all of the Assembly members and Senators, the Governor, and evveryone else who worked on  this bill. 

Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board

Late CPF Secretary-Treasurer Dallas Jones

AB 2253, authored by Assemblyman Joe Coto (D-San Jose), builds upon our state's first public safety cancer presumption safeguard, which was signed in 1982 by then-Governor and current CPF-endorsed gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown. The landmark legislation signed by Jerry Brown was the first of its kind in the nation.

"This is a monumental achievement for firefighters across our great state," said CPF President Lou Paulson. "As firefighters, we know that many of our exposures on the job don't manifest themselves into cancer until years later. This legislation will provide further protections for all who put themselves in harm's way each day to protect the lives and property of all Californians." 

AB 2253 enjoyed broad bi-partisan support as it made its way through the Legislature, including several co-authors from both sides of the aisle: Kevin Jeffries and Jose Solario (principal co-authors) and Assembly Members Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Robert Blumenfield, Wes Chesbro, Paul Cook, Nathan Fletcher, Felipe Fuentes, Curt Hagman, Ted Lieu, Tony Mendoza, Pedro Nava, Anthony Portantino, Mary Salas and Mike Villines, as well as Senators Ellen Corbett, Mark DeSaulnier and Curren Price.

AB 2253 was named for the late CPF Secretary-Treasurer Dallas Jones, a legend in the firefighter labor movement, who lost his own battle with job-related cancer in 2008.

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT AB 2253.