Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the recipients of the 2022 Governor’s Fire Service Awards last week. Fairfax County Firefighter Ryan McGill was recognized for Excellence in Virginia Fire Services.
“I am proud to honor these remarkable fire service professionals,” said Youngkin at the annual Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Expo and Symposium. “We celebrate and thank these first responders and support staff for their extraordinary contributions to the Commonwealth.”
“With an increasing demand for service coupled with staffing shortages in both volunteer and career departments, it is important that we recognize these men and women who have a heart for service and routinely display acts of bravery while risking their own lives to save others, added Brad Creasy, executive director of Virginia Department of Fire Programs. “In collaboration with Governor Youngkin and Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Bob Mosier, we are proud to recognize these courageous men and women.”
Master Technician Ryan McGill has worked to improve the lives and safety of firefighters by working with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and the International Association of Fire Fighters to raise awareness and educate firefighters on best practices when it comes to limiting exposure to carcinogenic materials.
He has also pushed for legislation to protect firefighters from cancer.
“There were two pieces of legislation that I’ve assisted with,” explained McGill. “The first one was the prohibition of burning of OSB, or woodchips that are held together with a resin. We wrote legislation to prohibit the use of these in firefighter training.”
According to McGill, oriented strand board (OSB) releases toxic carcinogens when burned. He added that Virginia is the first state in the county to adopt this policy.
McGill also worked to help expand cancer coverage for firefighters.
“I also throughout the years assisted with our presumptive cancer legislation down in Richmond and met with our elected officials to try to increase the types of cancer that were covered. I’m happy to say this year we were successful in getting thyroid cancer added,” he said.
HB1408 and SB906 expanded workers’ compensation to include bladder and thyroid cancer.
Bill Delaney, the public information officer for Fairfax County Fire & Rescue, added that in addition to his work with state legislators, McGill has been an essential part of the Fairfax
firefighter community, offering guidance and support to the 40 members in remission or actively going through treatment.
“One of the big things that we’re trying to do here locally through the International Association of Firefighters our local 2068 chapter, is ensure that we are supporting our members that are going through treatment and just checking in with them to see if they need any additional resources whether it be financial support, providing meals to them and their families, or what we’ve been doing a lot is when a member is going in for treatment or surgery we’ll have members go in for a showing of support at the hospital,” explained McGill.