Everett City Settles Firefighters’ Asbestos Case

EVERETT – Everett city has settled the litigation with a group of firefighters by agreeing to pay for lifetime medical monitoring for potential asbestos-related health issues.

The firefighters were exposed to asbestos in July 2007 during their training in city-owned houses. The buildings were very old and contained the cancer-causing substance in many areas.

By reaching this settlement, city avoided paying out millions of dollars. A group of firefighters and their spouses had filed a claim last year seeking $9 million from the city. As the city agreed to pay for health monitoring program, the plaintiffs dropped their lawsuit.

The health monitoring program will cost the city less than $15,000 next year and probably lesser in coming years, according to the city’s chief financial officer Debra Bryant.

It’s a fair as well as equitable agreement. We think it’s a good deal for us and the city,” said Paul Gagnon, the president of the firefighters union.

The lifetime medical monitoring is offered only to 27 firefighters of the group who filed the original complaint. The city says the exposure levels of the rest of the firefighters are not believed to be as high as that of their colleagues.

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