Arkansas legislators passed Crump’s Law on Monday, granting municipal firefighters across the state an extra six months of paid sick leave when they are being treated for cancer contracted on the job.
Members of El Dorado Professional Firefighters Local 1704, a labor organization representing 90 percent of the paid firefighters in El Dorado, lobbied at the state Capitol in February for the bill’s passage.
“I think it’s a big step forward for firefighters in the state of Arkansas,” said Seth Rainwater, former 1704 president and current secretary/treasurer for the Arkansas Professional Firefighters Association. “Hopefully, Crump’s Law gives them a little more opportunity to heal and get back to work and continue to serve. … It gives us the opportunity to not only take care of ourselves, but also take care of each other.”