One of the few items the Chandler City Council advanced at its May 22 meeting was something it considers essential for the Chandler Fire Department.

By unanimously approving its consent agenda, council approved a maximum $550,000, one-year extension of a contract with Vincere Cancer Center for first-responder screenings.

“I know this is deeply personal for you, Council member (Jane) Poston, as it is for me,” Chandler Fire Department Assistant Chief Keith Hargis said at a May 19 study session. “Cancer has become the leading line-of-duty cause of death for American firefighters. Firefighters, due largely to exposure to chemicals, have a much significantly higher risk of cancer than the general public.”

The city, in a news release, said the contract is one in a series of measures to reduce

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