[{"_1":2,"_109":-5,"_110":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6637887,"mediaKeyId","2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4","parentId",2577981,"title","Firefighter urges state funding to expand California firefighter cancer research","audioSeconds",3560,"startMs",662000,"endMs",4222000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4&start=662&end=4222","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4/thumbnail_662000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637887/California/Firefighter-urges-state-funding-to-expand-California-firefighter-cancer-research","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637887-987fc49637c13f98f84660860746c980/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093441&Signature=Pn00WVAUyY3XypkFi4RmHaVzQXZLHA1kZaCSaSGYeTWapf5o3h-1wMWfsVprrYDsZLK6~-AgUnN~z~6QklfXPjachCBjNRZehUI4bGW5eNqvOJYOOUo08ZbCYnJrQJ95oD~TBd--UXbWpGeNTGFXRMDMDmanOG~twVNU3rM-77hbKT9j1O1OjliDGbbZQWzz-UyZ~1iMqm~y50HF1RmcnfkcJyCNLBdJ~1FVbwC-Kj1-47K57Tufr3dBCQTs9zcPORx~INSCsrkh-zNaEAXoiJ6nfgqXrK8sJi591ergnx4sjZQ2c-5A4W4w5t8iH-riDxuNUsj6065vgpcgaYBeIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-03-12T00:00:00Z","article","Derek Erwin, an LA County firefighter and adjunct professor who conducts firefighter cancer research at UCLA, urged the Legislature to expand funding for the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program so researchers can establish large longitudinal studies and develop interventions.

Erwin told the joint hearing that firefighting is classified as a Group 1 occupational carcinogen and that California firefighters face unique combined exposures from municipal and wildland/urban‑interface incidents. He said the 2023 enactment of AB 700 established the firefighter cancer program and funded several research projects with $300,000–$750,000 grants, but that larger cohort studies—on the scale of NIH‑funded projects and costing millions annually—are required to identify biological mechanisms and effective exposure‑reduction strategies.

Erwin said recent urban conflagrations in the Palisades and Eaton incidents exposed firefighters to prolonged smoke and combustion products from structures, vehicles and unknown contents for days and weeks, and that those exposures drive known carcinogenic mechanisms even though specific long‑term outcomes in California cohorts remain uncertain.

He asked the committees to support continued and expanded funding for the AB 700 program to create multi‑year, large cohort studies that could be run in partnership with University of California researchers and medical centers, and to ensure community‑engaged research partners are included.

Legislators and other panelists responded by thanking first responders and acknowledging the need for longer‑term health monitoring and research to support firefighter health care and compensation programs if adverse outcomes are confirmed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Hearing Assembly Labor and Employment and Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement (1)","oneSentenceSummary","A Los Angeles County firefighter and researcher told lawmakers the state’s firefighter cancer research program needs larger, long‑term cohort studies and sustained funding to understand health risks from intense structure‑and‑wildland firefighting exposures.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637892,"State, county and city outline grants, temporary jobs and relief funds for displaced workers and small businesses",684,11466000,12150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4&start=11466&end=12150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4/thumbnail_11466000.jpg","/articles/6637892/California/State-county-and-city-outline-grants-temporary-jobs-and-relief-funds-for-displaced-workers-and-small-businesses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637892-aa5d96f62e97dd24a00fe5fc5a99ef52/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093441&Signature=WH73fQJfQFzcoMRuz9S0F~~RPHK98NQzonvgmfvKcQ56MmWPMbf99SLN-zY5NdM0CRTCAn3eOmGeG4hNVCWbiwa-mYigNVUvsKLlhpZpnvBP4D8OOoeG~AH~6IpmLNEWDBsKrXdqAN8VQC1F-HBXI5wN1tY5yoRKpUBKBh2Kk8DOXCHbzx61Oe94187ar~omPm20tl0Trh~DS0MMNycQTKZSFU7e0JphJU31CrzN6FkIwc7HAvdYR2pRCMMz3GtXtEKjmQbW2TTw1SfJHedEbGt0kkTAUjLkS0PfcVgaNOuMxHr2HMWG27BrQDq4gzxNp6353XzK2aPRVViIyHomXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State and local workforce officials told legislators they are mobilizing unemployment insurance, federal disaster programs, temporary subsidized jobs and direct relief for workers and small businesses affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.

Nancy Barris, director of the California Employment Development Department, said EDD has processed more than 7,000 regular unemployment claims and more than 4,500 federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) claims for survivors. Barris noted FEMA extended the deadline to apply for DUA to March 31 and said benefits for eligible people will continue through the federal program end date of July 12.

County and city programs: Kelly LoBianco, director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity, described a regionwide small‑business and worker relief fund the county helped launch with the city and philanthropic partners. The fund offers $2,000 cash grants to eligible workers and up to $25,000 grants to small businesses and nonprofits with documented damage or revenue loss; LoBianco said the worker fund had received more than 6,000 applications and first awards were slated to go out in late March/early April.

Workforce grants and temporary jobs: EDD and county officials said they unlocked two federally funded programs—the National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) and Additional Assistance (AA) grants—to provide temporary subsidized employment, training and wraparound services. County staff said these grants will support roughly 1,000 impacted workers with training and re‑employment services and about 300 dislocated workers in temporary subsidized jobs for cleanup, humanitarian assistance and logistics; the county expects temporary placements to begin in April.

Economic impact estimates: Germaine Hampton, vice president for workforce development at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, shared preliminary economic estimates: property damages in a wide range ($28 billion to $53.8 billion), lost economic output in the billions, and estimated job losses on the order of 25,000 to 50,000. Hampton urged policies to accelerate permitting and sequencing for schools and other public facilities, expand worker training and provide grants (rather than only loans) to small businesses.

Access challenges: Multiple witnesses said many affected workers are not eligible for standard benefits and rely on private philanthropy and rapid‑response funds for immediate needs. Megan Ortiz and other worker‑center representatives described obstacles for day laborers and domestic workers, including language access and lack of documentation for some funding forms; county officials said application assistance and multilingual outreach were priorities.

What lawmakers requested: Legislators asked for regular reporting on grant awards, the number of workers placed in temporary jobs, training completions and outcomes, and clearer timetables for small business relief disbursements.

Officials said the recovery will be long‑running and will require combined public, private and philanthropic effort to stabilize displaced workers and rebuild businesses and neighborhoods.","EDD, LA County and Los Angeles city officials described unemployment assistance, federal workforce grants and local relief funds aimed at displaced workers and small businesses, and outlined timelines for temporary jobs and grant awards.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637897,"Army Corps leads debris removal; building‑trades urge community workforce agreements and apprenticeships",0,4549000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4&start=4549&end=4549","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4/thumbnail_4549000.jpg","/articles/6637897/California/Army-Corps-leads-debris-removal-buildingtrades-urge-community-workforce-agreements-and-apprenticeships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637897-39b2d0b05cd04c35822fb02f4488dc35/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093441&Signature=ZCC9QXA0mKg3oc-hqsS7Bu4979fEQlIdvv1DXMZ46qKbAJ8a7KF~G35cCoYi~kI92fZ5FIbKTlVFC0n5SF~gKQ~Tw6NNV8YH-dBsVchoEhvGujRh7OF2qp45P-4WM3LKXIBcC0FZ0urSwDAbbTfz9JMmF-hfQZ5sBLwOgb42jnvPMU8n4hCeqej1CzpBCNQvDgvZLM0ZBBJuXjU66jv3ZKdnJOnyUkvZae4xJ9ikwQ81qEfHpCyPcOrsrJT4MilJTev0MT8RUAaAB2hoxG2h~9hv1qeev2XMQCF2i~H~RpjNgNiqDisI3hxTCAhDxDzt0z9nIont077gUu0KMaG4iA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told state lawmakers it is leading phase‑2 debris removal on private property in the Los Angeles wildfires, while building trades and labor groups pressed for community workforce agreements (CWAs), local‑hire mandates and apprenticeship pathways so local residents can rebuild and earn middle‑class wages.

Colonel Jim Hondura, regional commander of the Corps’ South Pacific Division, said the Corps established field offices in Pasadena and Pacific Palisades and has staff and contractors in the field. “To date, we've received over 3,771 rights of entry,” he said, and reported that crews have completed work on several parcels and that phase‑2 debris removal is expected to take about a year. Hondura estimated 4.25 to 4.5 million tons of debris require removal—“about half the amount of waste the entire country produces in a year,” he said.

Labor witnesses described how local workers and union apprenticeship programs could supply trained crews if contracting requirements prioritize local hiring and training. Eddie Escoto Alvarez, a council representative with the LA and Orange County Building Trades, and Chris Hannon of the State Building Trades urged mandatory CWAs or project labor agreements (PLAs) when public money or expedited permits support rebuilding. “If there's any type of public subsidy—may it be time or money—there has to be some type of community workforce agreement,” Alvarez said, arguing that CWAs protect apprenticeship slots, local hire and prevailing wages.

Contracting structure: The Corps said it is executing work under a pre‑awarded emergency response contract with ECC as the prime contractor; Hondura said ECC is required to allocate 40% of its subcontract awards to small or disadvantaged businesses and must submit a site safety and health plan. ECC and its subcontractors operating under the Corps’ contract must comply with Corps safety standards and federal contracting requirements, Hondura said. Several lawmakers asked the Corps to provide a detailed list of subcontractors working under the ECC prime; Hondura agreed to follow up.

Limits to local mandates: Trade witnesses and lawmakers noted legal and practical limits where federal agencies directly manage phases of the response. Eddie Alvarez and others said federal control of some work has constrained the ability to require local hire on phases funded or performed by the federal government, though they argued that state and local subsidies or permitting expedites still offer levers to attach labor standards.

Apprenticeship and on‑ramp training: Building trades officials highlighted extensive apprenticeship and pre‑apprenticeship capacity in the region—programs that they said could absorb displaced workers and provide career pathways if contracts include apprenticeship or enrollment requirements. Chris Hannon pointed to a 2022 state law (SB 978) that set a prequalification process for debris contractors and said the state tool is underused when funds flow through federal mechanisms.

What lawmakers asked for: Legislators pressed agencies for timely lists of prime and subcontractors, transparency on disposal and recycling destinations for ash and asbestos, and data on how many local workers, apprentices and disadvantaged businesses are actually being used. The Corps committed to provide more detail to legislative staff on contractor lists and disposal logistics.

The debate at the hearing highlights a tension common in disaster recovery: the need to move quickly to clear hazards and reopen neighborhoods, and the desire to use public investments to secure local jobs, training and safety standards.","The Army Corps described its phase‑2 debris program and scale; union and building‑trades witnesses urged state or locally mandated community workforce agreements, local‑hire requirements and apprenticeships to ensure work and safety for impacted residents.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":92,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":94,"_51":105,"_53":106,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":107,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":108,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637902,"Cal/OSHA, Corps and advocates outline worker-safety steps as cleanup continues",1158,5707000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2577981-c39b0b30b516a8ccff46c035e10c9cb4&start=4549&end=5707","/articles/6637902/California/CalOSHA-Corps-and-advocates-outline-worker-safety-steps-as-cleanup-continues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637902-f7b399657013256864c28f4afb738c8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093441&Signature=C6RrH1wrYUlqgisTavuxDZliRvAfB6b-4GM5xlmuj-xyFBI4RhZsJJ0syxL~bIYhdPHAp1ppDfgZ64Zearq-1m4gHojF0Ir6OFeKF3Xvf2aN7Nm7qriBhjiWffq7A3-cIToD1VvnnG0PtsUKC6xi8JI8x18fr70zqg9WZLIXFNpvCBsW9KPVGnvSV4U~5LbSUgpIsc5XViPSLh9wFYUnyWppk3M~yd9Urx6-nahYKN0xvFHSaYUOAd4s42stdXdJBYwh8fVLGKLMObj6~btrqlxYdaVTa0tAmW1WzG6XLtCn~a5~q~QeeEKIGBzWntTTsgIEovTI3evkCkoe0ZwY-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","California occupational-safety officials, federal recovery staff and worker advocates told a joint Senate–Assembly hearing that they are deploying outreach, monitoring and enforcement to protect workers who are doing fire cleanup and rebuilding in Los Angeles.

Cal/OSHA’s chief, Deborah Lee, told the committees the agency has mobilized staff, bilingual materials and field teams to educate employers and workers about hazards related to ash, soot, demolition and debris work. “Workers performing wildfire cleanup may potentially be exposed to hazards such as slips and trip hazards, heat illness related exposures and respiratory hazards,” Lee said. “Employers are required to establish an effective plan to identify hazards on the site and communicate them to workers, provide workers with proper personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection, and ensure that workers have completed a 40‑hour hazardous waste operation and emergency response training.”

Why it matters: Workers in cleanup and early rebuilding face airborne particulates, asbestos risks and typical construction hazards. The failure to reach affected workers—many of whom rely on day labor and Spanish‑language outreach—could produce immediate harm and longer‑term health effects, witnesses said.

Officials described a three‑part strategy: (1) outreach and multilingual education for homeowners, employers and workers; (2) on‑site compliance assistance and safety consultations; and (3) enforcement where employers do not correct unsafe conditions. Lee said Cal/OSHA distributed thousands of printed materials through community organizations and has a bilingual call center and staff on the ground. Hassan Adan, regional manager for Cal/OSHA Enforcement Region 4, told lawmakers the agency has dedicated 34 staff to the response and typically has about a dozen inspectors in the field on any given day, conducting interviews, spot checks and follow‑up investigations.

Cal/OSHA also reported complaint and enforcement activity. Adan said the agency received 66 complaints related to wildfire and cleanup operations in January and February and is investigating complaints and several minor accidents. “We are out there every day,” he said, describing visits to job sites, laundromats and worker centers to meet people where they are.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is leading phase 2 debris removal on private property under federal mission assignments, said safety is embedded in its contracts and on‑site supervision. Colonel Jim Hondura, South Pacific Division regional commander, said Corps teams require contractors to submit site safety and health plans and that Corps personnel and safety professionals monitor operations. He said workers in the ash footprint are required to wear full PPE, and the Corps uses air monitoring and dust suppression at active sites.

Gaps and concerns: Worker‑center and labor representatives said language access, outreach and unregistered temporary crews remain problems. Megan Ortiz of IDESCA and Sarah Flocks of the California Labor Federation described cases where workers lacked evacuation information in Spanish, or were hired informally for hazardous cleanup without protective equipment. Cal/OSHA said it is coordinating with community groups and other state agencies to get materials and in‑person assistance to hard‑to‑reach workers.

On documentation and accountability, officials acknowledged limits. Colonel Hondura said the Corps tracks its prime contractor (ECC) and the subcontractors who work under that federal contract, and that ECC must submit safety plans and award a portion of subcontracts to small or disadvantaged businesses. But Cal/OSHA staff said they do not have a single registry of every private contractor working independently on homeowner‑hired cleanup across the region; instead, inspectors encounter those workers during field visits and through complaints.

What’s next: Cal/OSHA and partner agencies said they will continue outreach, safety monitoring and enforcement. Lawmakers pressed officials to provide lists of subcontractors working under federal contracts, to clarify which waste streams require special handling, and to make data on inspections and enforcement publicly available so the legislature can assess whether further resources are needed.

The hearing made clear that while safety protocols exist on paper—PPE, HAZWOPER 40‑hour training and respiratory protection—a parallel effort remains to reach workers who are not on formal rosters and to ensure employers comply in practice.","State and federal officials told a joint legislative hearing that outreach, on-site monitoring and enforcement are under way to protect workers involved in wildfire cleanup, while community groups warned language gaps and unregistered contractors leave some workers vulnerable.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Firefighter urges state funding to expand California firefighter cancer research

State, county and city outline grants, temporary jobs and relief funds for displaced workers and small businesses

Army Corps leads debris removal; building‑trades urge community workforce agreements and apprenticeships

Cal/OSHA, Corps and advocates outline worker-safety steps as cleanup continues