Bipartisan bill aims to expand health protections for wildland firefighters

"Vehicle accidents, aircraft accidents, they have taken many lives this summer," said Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology. "But, for a lot of other really young, strong bodies, they are afflicted by illnesses and injuries that (they) may not even be aware of until later on."

Ingalsbee's organization has endorsed the legislation, which would create a task force and advisory council made up of wildland firefighters to help develop policies aimed at reducing workplace injuries and illnesses.

"The goal is early detection," he said. "Rarely do ground-level firefighters get any voice in policymaking. So this advisory council will help determine what are the many health hazards, physical and mental, affecting firefighters."