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S5433119th CongressWALLET

Wildland Firefighter Health and Safety Act

Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Introduced

Summary

Protect wildland firefighters' health. This bill would create a coordinated federal program to cut inhalation and skin exposures from wildfire smoke and contaminants, set up pilots and standards, and fund medical surveillance and decontamination.

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  • Firefighters and crews: Would get baseline and annual medical exams, access to cancer and pulmonary screenings, duty time counted as hours for showering and gear decontamination, and requirements for hot/cold showers and decontamination equipment at duty stations within two years.
  • Agencies and field operations: Would need regional and national program staff, implement clean-apparatus cab and gear-decontamination protocols, run a two-year respiratory protection pilot, and follow interim then final OSHA standards that require respiratory protection and exposure controls.
  • Research, safety, and claims systems: Would create a NIOSH Office of Firefighter Health and Safety, fund pilot testing and grants, and establish an OWCP Special Claims Handling Unit with annual public reporting on firefighter claims.

*Authorizes funding including $34.0 million per year and $15.0 million per year for FY2027–2032, plus $10.0 million for NIOSH activities and a $1.5 million respiratory pilot.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Federal wellbeing program for firefighters

This bill would create a Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program led by a Director named within 90 days. The program would give baseline medical exams at hire and annual exams, exposure tracking, screenings, biomonitoring, and pilot testing. It would authorize $34 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to carry out the program. The bill would define covered employees to include permanent, seasonal, temporary, emergency, and certain tribal-contract firefighters. It would require decontamination infrastructure within two years and paid duty time during fires for showering and cleaning gear; that time would count as hours worked for pay and benefits.

Special OWCP claims unit for firefighters

This bill would require the Department of Labor to create a special OWCP claims handling unit for disability or death claims of fire protection employees. Unit staff would get training on firefighting duties and exposures and coordinate with the Wellbeing Program and NIOSH. OWCP would publish an annual searchable public report on claims outcomes, time to decision, diagnoses, and systemic issues.

GAO reviews of firefighter health program

This bill would require the Government Accountability Office to study the Wellbeing Program starting within two years and then every two years for six years. Each study would review program progress, respirator market availability, decontamination capacity, exposure monitoring, and OWCP claims handling. GAO must report to Congress within one year after each study ends.

New task force for firefighter health

This bill would create an interagency Wildland Firefighter Health Task Force within 90 days. It would set up a Wildland Firefighter Health Advisory Panel with current and former firefighters. The bill would authorize $15 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to support the Task Force and Health Strategy. The Task Force would publish a Health Strategy within one year and advise on exposure controls and pilot testing protocols.

NIOSH office for firefighter safety

This bill would create a permanent Office of Firefighter Health and Safety inside NIOSH. The office would be led by an Associate Director and could award grants and contracts for protective gear and safety technologies. It would run longitudinal surveillance, product testing, and registries and report to Congress within one year and every two years after that.

New OSHA rules for wildland firefighters

This bill would direct the Labor Secretary to issue an interim OSHA standard within 180 days after the Pilot Program final report and a final standard within five years. The rules would require health protection plans, respiratory protection programs, engineering and administrative controls, training, exposure monitoring, medical surveillance, and decontamination equipment. The interim rule would take effect quickly, subject to reasonable PPE availability delays.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 9/17/2026

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/17/2026

  • Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 9/17/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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