Fresno Firefighters Fighting City To Cover Staph Infection Expenses

09/24/2007 (KFSN) -- Station 11 is one of the three fire stations where firefighters have gotten sick. They want the City of Fresno to cover their medical expenses under workers comp. But, the city says firefighters can't prove they got these infections at work.

The City of Fresno says in the last three years, at least 13 firefighters from three stations have gotten staph infections or skin diseases that can develop into blisters.

The health department says staph infections are easily treatable with an anitbiotic. But, the Fresno Firefighter's Union says doctors misdiagnosed several of the firefighter's infections as a spider bite and believe they didn't get treated early enough.

Now, the Union's vice president says the City of Fresno won't acknowledge that the infections are work-related and aren't covered under worker's comp.

Jerry Duncan, Fresno City Council, says, "The evidence to me is pretty clear to me that MRSA staph infection bacteria are present in our fire stations and these firefighters are getting it from that."

Fresno City Council member Jerry Duncan says first responders sometimes get staph infections because they come into contact with drug abusers and the homeless, and because they live in close quarters at their stations, it's easily spread.

On Tuesday, Duncan will ask city staff to consider the infection work-related and therefore eligible for worker's compensation.

The City of Fresno hired an independent lab which confirmed there was staph in two of three stations where firefighters got sick. The bacteria were found on remote controls, kitchen cabinets and other commom areas.

David Luchini, Fresno County Health Department, says, "That's why it's so important that if you share equipment that you wipe it down first and make sure it's clean and good handwashing and prevent any exposure to breaks in the skin becasue you can get it anywhere."

If the city doesn't agree to classify these staph infections as work related, firefighters will have to pay for some of the medical costs themselves rather workers comp picking up all the expenses.

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