Groves approves professional services agreement to provide cancer screenings for firefighters

The Groves City Council on March 9 authorized staff to move forward with a professional services agreement with Frontline Mobile Health to provide cancer screening services for firefighting personnel. The fire chief told council that recent state requirements make screenings broadly available starting June 1, and that he sought to begin earlier by purchasing on‑site comprehensive testing for qualifying personnel.

Chief described services Frontline would provide on site — urine tests, pulmonary‑function tests, EKGs, targeted ultrasounds and other screening components — and said the vendor would follow up directly with individuals per HIPAA rules if results required further care. Staff said about 10 of the city’s personnel meet the five‑year eligibility threshold and that Port Arthur uses Frontline; Groves could tag onto Port Arthur’s scheduled session to meet a 25‑person minimum the vendor prefers, at no additional charge to Groves. The chief said the cost would be covered from an account freed by other budget changes and that the PSA term included annual increases (5% per year); staff also said the city has a 30‑day cancellation window around scheduled sessions.

Council members asked about coverage for volunteers and whether the program would substitute for the annual fit‑for‑duty physical; staff said the arrangement could cover annual physicals and that they would explore options to include volunteers in future budgeting. After discussion, council voted to approve the PSA and staff will schedule the screening with the vendor and coordinate participation with Port Arthur.