A Bedford, Texas firefighter is battling more than just blazes now.  He is also battling cancer and battling the courts to get the support of workers’ compensation benefits.

Lt. Keith Long has been battling cancer for more than two years now.  A closed door meeting with the Texas Department of Insurance could determine if Long will receive benefits or not.  Supporters of all kinds and firefighters from other departments showed up at the court meeting in support of Long.

Long is a 20 year veteran of the department.  He was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and applied for workers’ comp benefits to cover his medical costs, however that request was denied by the city of Bedford.

As we all know when you inhale smoke from something burning it tends to contain carcinogens.  So while everyone was running away Lt. Long was running into burning building to ensure the safety of his community and their property.  Long believes that after 20 years of fire service and inhaling smoke this is what caused his cancer.

Lt. Long currently has no health insurance and everything that he is trying to do to prolong his life with his family is coming out of his own pocket.

Details of these meeting are confidential so I am unsure if we will find out if Long receives his benefits, but I hope they see that a real hero is suffering and needs to be taken care of after doing so much to take car of everyone else in his community.  Our public servants go out and risk themselves on a daily basis to ensure we are safe, there are many long term effects of the job not just the daily ones.  For a firefighter the risk of developing a respiratory condition is high with all the smoke that is being inhaled while battling a fire.  I support Lt. Long and all those that came out backing him, I hope the Texas Department of Insurance sees it the same way.