We, no doubt like many of our readers, were touched by the recent story about Bud Planchon, a Springdale fi refighter from Fayetteville who we’re sad to say, has cancer.
That’s terrible enough. Planchon has spent the last three years fighting the disease. But in the midst of that fight, he’s also had to wage a campaign against the state of Arkansas for a ruling that will determine the level of benefits for his wife and kids when he’s gone, including college tuition for his 13-year-old daughter.
Who can blame a man for fighting for his family’s better future, especially if that might be a future without him?
Planchon believes his colon cancer is related to the fumes and chemicals to which his career as a fi refighter exposed him. His oncologist pointed to data that show fi refi ghters have a 21 to 36 percent increased incidence of colon cancer compared to the general population. That compelling data, the doctor says, “cannot and should not be ignored.”
We agree wholeheartedly.
We don’t know whether Planchon’s cancer stems from his work, but the state of Arkansas doesn’t know, either. They lay the responsibility for proving the connection at Planchon’s feet. Our suspicion is he was too busy responding to people in need throughout his career to collect samples and maintain data about a potential cancer hazard.
Faced with the knowledge 33 states recognize the type of cancer Planchon has as work-related for fi refighters, Arkansas can’t simply shrug off Planchon until he’s no longer around to fight the fight. Or at least the state shouldn’t.
An Arkansas Municipal League spokesman said policies of other states — all 33 of them — are defi ned more by the strength of fi refi ghter groups’ lobbying efforts than medical evidence. Apparently, just this once, Arkansas has it all figured out better than 33 other states.
Of course, one could also suggest Arkansas municipalities have a pretty eff ective lobby.
The fact so many states recognize a connection between the workplace exposure of fi refi ghters and this cancer is enough to make us wonder if this isn’t about political side-stepping to avoid fi nancial responsibility in a era of tight budgets.
Of course, we don’t know that to be the case, so what this situation demands isn’t the vilifi cation of the pension system for Arkansas fi refighters. It needs a thorough, scientifically based examination and a commitment to do what’s right by this man’s family based on the evidence.
There are answers to be found, and the state should recognize this isn’t just about Planchon. Firefi ghters across the state deserve to know who has their back and when.
Perhaps it will take legislative action to force further research on this issue. If so, we hope lawmakers of Northwest Arkansas will stand ready to pursue this.