SF voters to decide whether to lower firefighters’ retirement age amid high cancer rates

San Francisco voters will decide in November whether to lower the retirement age from 58 to 55 for the city’s firefighters, who risk cancer and death as part of their job. 

If more than half of voters on the Nov. 5 ballot approve the amendment to the city charter, members of the San Francisco Fire Department hired after Jan. 6, 2012, would secure more retirement benefits at an earlier age.