In the quiet but growing border community of Mission, a flag above Fire Station No. 3’s front desk advertises the community’s historic claim to fame as a citrus-growing powerhouse: “Mission Fire Department: Home of the Grapefruit.”
The small firehouse is kept scrupulously clean except for traces of diesel fumes that have settled on the walls of the parking bay, on lockers full of protective gear, and on door frames leading into living quarters. This station is one of five in this city, where approximately 70 firefighters serve a population of 85,000.
Behind the front desk, there’s a makeshift shrine to Ignacio “Nacho” Cantu, a Mission firefighter who died of cancer at just 36. In the hall, a bulletin board holds photos of other local firefighters, at least seven of whom have been diagnosed with cancer over the past 12 years—including Lieutenant Homer Salinas, who’s currently stationed here.
Salinas, a soft-spoken father of three adult children, knows he is lucky. In 2017, he discovered that he had a potentially deadly kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma. But the tumor was caught and treated early, and Salinas has mostly recovered.
Rather than dwelling on his illness, he prefers to look to the future. When Salinas first became a firefighter, coming back dirty from a fire was a badge of honor. “Now we know it’s all cancer,” he said, and these days veterans like him teach rookies that clean gear is the best gear. “I hope it will help other generations.”
Firefighters have a higher risk of kidney cancer, according to multiple scientific studies. In particular, renal cell carcinoma is linked to benzene exposure—an occupational hazard tied to fire trucks’ diesel exhaust, and potentially also to smoke firefighters encounter during fires. When doctors first found Salinas’ tumor, his union encouraged him to file for workers’ compensation through the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool (TMLIRP), their city’s carrier.
Before he even began treatment, TMLIRP denied coverage, saying his cancer was not work-related. He appealed the decision. Given documented links between firefighting and kidney cancer, a hearing officer at the Texas Department of Insurance ruled in Salinas’ favor, and he and his regular health insurance provider were eventually reimbursed.
In the meantime, Salinas received some unexpected paperwork: The City of Mission, his hometown and employer of 20 years, was suing him in district court to overturn that decision. He was shocked.
But what Salinas found even odder was
