Once a silent killer, the risks of cancer to firefighters are no longer in the dark. As a part of the fire service community, you've likely seen the damage, destruction and devastation this disease can cause.
As natural-born fixers, doers and helpers — it can feel debilitating to be up against something that has no cure. But the truth is, we can all do something to help fight back against cancer.
According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), firefighters are 9% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 14% more likely to die from cancer than the general U.S. population.
The FCSN also notes that there are some types of cancer that firefighters have significantly higher risks of getting, including respiratory (lung and mesothelioma — which starts in the linings of the body typically around the chest and lungs called pleural mesothelioma), gastro-intestinal (also called GI and includes oral, esophageal and large intestine/colon) and kidney.
In fact, firefighters are two times (100%) more likely to have mesothelioma than the general population and have a 129% increased risk of dying from it. Further, firefighters have a 62% higher risk of having esophageal cancer and are 39% more likely to die from it.
Unfortunately, cancer risks for firefighters are so significant that this is not an exhaustive list of all of the risks you may face. Additional risks the FCSN mentions include testicular cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, skin cancer, malignant melanoma, brain cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia and breast cancer.
Some cancers can be found early and treated before they've had a chance to grow. Encourage each firefighter to look for signs, conduct self-examinations, have regular doctor appointments, discuss the risks with their doctors and have professional screenings — which can help find cancer before a person ever has symptoms.
In 2018, the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) released the "Lavender Ribbon Report." This report includes potentially life-saving information about cancer in the fire service and outlines 11 actions that fire departments can take to help lower cancer-related risks.
Read the full report and more tips at nvfc.org.
Your fire department probably already talks about cancer, but you may need to shift the dialogue to have a more proactive approach. So what can you do beyond talking about the risks and telling crew members to clean their gear?
In an article in International Fire Fighter, Dr. William Jenaway, VP of Education, Training and Consulting at VFIS, discusses how leaders in the fire service can use cognitive learning — a function-based learning process that helps control how a person processes information — to help train the brain about caner prevention best practices.
"Cognitive learning presents an effective method to understand the situation and prevention techniques for cancer exposure by cleaning gear. Cognitive learning starts with paying attention to what is happening; in this case the personal protective equipment gets dirty from fire products, smoke, etc. This is obvious from the soot and related products of combustion that adhere to the gear.
By training firefighters in the classroom that this “dirt” is potentially harmful, the memory is now available for the firefighter to understand they should clean the material to prevent further exposure. Thus, educating firefighters of the dangers that unclean gear poses is a vital step in the process. The final step of the cognitive learning process is the encoding of information."
- Dr. William Jenaway. Read full article here.
SOGs and SOPs can provide guidance on all types of operations, including cancer-related best practices (like cleaning gear). To put it simply, using an SOG regularly can help make processes second nature.
Start with an SOG sample (like the one below) and use it as a baseline for your fire department's specific needs. Once your SOG is developed, clearly communicate and train your staff on all steps and procedures.
Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide, and, considering firefighters are even more susceptible to this terrible disease, support is key. You can help take control of the conversation, both locally and globally, by having a voice and taking a stand in the fight against cancer.
The truth is, we've begun to determine risk factors of cancer in the fire service and the scope of the problem — but we still have a long way to go. There may not be a cure, but that doesn't mean we have to stand on the sidelines. Continually read up on the latest research, make adjustments to your crew's safety protocol based on industry-focused recommendations and educate your members on the risks. You can make a difference in the fight against firefighter cancer.