Four years after its fight with the city of Orlando began over its withholding of vital medical information from terminally ill firefighters, approximately 25 members of Orlando, FL Local 1365 have received the $600,000 in compensation the city agreed to pay in May 2004 following settlement of the bitter legal case.

The case began in 2001 when more than 25 firefighters filed suit against the city of Orlando, claiming that a city-run medical clinic did not inform them of abnormal test results after routine medical exams in order to avoid paying large sums of money through its risk management group.

As part of the settlement, the city also agreed to change the way it evaluates medical claims by firefighters and to hire a doctor to serve as medical director for firefighters and oversee every firefighter injury and exposure to infectious disease.

“This is an important settlement for Orlando fire fighters,” said Steve Clelland, president of Local 1365. Since the suit began, the city has closed the original medical clinic, expanded firefighter physicals to include hepatitis and tuberculosis screening, created a chief officer position to oversee every exposure, ensured that all contaminated clothing is bagged and cleaned, and adopted the IAFF-IAFC Wellness and Fitness Initiative.