The epidemic known as occupational firefighter cancer was first discussed nearly 20 years ago. Initially, the fire service didn’t understand the correlation between our exposures and diagnoses. Thankfully, due to the vast researchers we have partnered with, we have gained a better understanding of initiatives that will reduce members’ risk of receiving a cancer diagnosis.
Department Responsibilities
Many fire departments have made large investments in cancer prevention tools and relevant policy/procedure updates within the past 20 years. It’s common for departments to be equipped with two sets of turnouts for each firefighter. Capital expenses or grant money have been used to purchase gear extractors and/or diesel exhaust systems in stations. Some other ways that departments have made strides towards preventing cancer include banning tobacco products and conducting annual National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) physicals. Policies have been created for preliminary exposure reduction (PER), as well as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) use during overhaul and rehab.
It’s encouraging that departments’ investment into cancer prevention tools and relevant policies/procedures will ultimately help catch a member’s cancer in an earlier stage or reduce our members’ risk of being diagnosed. However, the actions our fire departments take are only a piece of the puzzle when it comes to cancer prevention. It’s our personal responsibility to fill in the gaps when it comes to cancer prevention.
Personal Responsibilities
Fire department cancer prevention initiatives can only go so far. Our overall health is a significant factor when it comes to cancer prevention. Although our departments desire us to be heathy, in the end it is the daily choices we make that affect our overall health. We must continue to eat healthy and get quality sleep. We must exercise beyond our duty days and prioritize good hygiene. You must get in the habit of using wet wipes and conducting PER on scene. Your department is not going to ensure that you are efficiently showering, or make sure that you switch uniforms following a fire. Truthfully, many departments will not care whether you use your SCBA during overhaul or not.
If you want to get out of this job alive, you need a department that is aggressive in its cancer prevention initiatives, and you need to do your own part to give yourself a fighting chance. It seems ridiculous to have a career of 20, 25, or 30 years just to get sick and die shortly after retiring. You must always think about the big picture and realize that the things that you are exposed to today will show up down the line if you aren’t careful. Many small decisions you make today will have large impacts on your future. You may not be able to completely control the narrative, but you can certainly influence how your future chapters are written.
Jim Burneka is a recently retired firefighter-paramedic with the Dayton (OH) Fire Department. Jim was the inaugural wellness coordinator for the Dayton Fire Department and the health & safety/peer support coordinator for Dayton Firefighters Local 136. Jim has been involved in the fight against occupational cancer for over 18 years and is a cancer survivor. He is also a technical committee member on NFPA 1585, Contamination Control, and NFPA 1580, Standard for Emergency Responder Occupational Health & Wellness. Jim hosts two monthly webcast/podcast on Firefighter Nation. Jim Is also the co-author of the Amazon bestseller “Overcoming Tuesday: A First Responder’s Tale of Healing and Resiliency”. Jim serves on the PPE Reimagined and the WFI 5th edition committees with the IAFF. Jim lives in “Exotic” Beavercreek Ohio with his wife Lauren, and two boys Jameson and Logan.
