Cancer awareness and prevention is more than a buzzworthy topic. In fact, it’s known to be one of the most dangerous risks that firefighters face today. According to research by the CDC and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population.
While there are several factors that contribute to firefighter cancer risks, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) states that the most common route of exposure to carcinogens for firefighters is through inhalation. That’s why it’s crucial to help protect your crew against the hidden chemicals that are released in smoke and soot, as well as vehicle exhaust and other hazardous materials, during each and every call.
All responding firefighters should consider wearing full PPE, including properly-sealed self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and masking-up, to help reduce your exposure to injury and illness—and that doesn’t only apply to the free-burning phase of incidents.
In fact, the IAFF states that not wearing SCBA in both active and post-fire environments is the most dangerous voluntary activity in the fire service today. While firefighters may have not traditionally worn SCBA during salvage and overhaul phases, it’s now known that combustion by-products can be even more prevalent during this time—making it equally important to remain in PPE for the entire incident.
Consider staying aware of the air quality and potential threats throughout each call by using an air monitor according to the manufacturer’s instructions. FirefighterNation.com recommends using the “ABC”
technique, which stands for holding the monitor (“A”) above your head, (“B”) below your waist and (“C”) at chest-level to check for gases of varying densities—and to “bump check” your air monitor before and after use to ensure it’s working properly, as well as documenting your monitoring for department records.
Nobody wants to think about a member collapsing on the scene, but it happens and it’s vital to be aware of all of the potential causes and ramifications—even when emotions and adrenaline are running high. For example, a sudden death or respiratory arrest could be correlated with an airborne substance, like cyanide or phosgene gas, so it’s important to always keep respiratory safety top-of-mind.
Perform on-scene gross decontamination on PPE to remove as much contaminants as possible, says the IAFF. This includes wet washing PPE, gloves, hood, helmet and helmet lining, all according to NFPA guidelines. From there, they recommend bagging contaminated gear and storing it in an outside compartment (rather than the cab). Once you’re back at the station, consider cleaning the interior of apparatus, keeping gear out of living and sleeping quarters, and using a diesel exhaust capture system.
Personnel should decontaminate themselves, too. This includes using wet wipes to remove soot from the head, neck, jaw, throat, underarms, hands and all areas of exposed skin and changing your clothes immediately after a fire, followed by showering thoroughly.
Depending on your operations, you may have additional considerations and unique procedures involving respiratory protections. For example, the Respiratory Protection for Wildland Firefighters Market Survey Report by the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory and Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that was released in 2022 sought to evaluate respiratory protections for wildland firefighters.
Their research compared “commercial-off-the-shelf products” for wildland firefighters and found that airpurifying respirators (APRs) and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) were more effective against particulate and gas hazards than traditional methods, like bandanas and N95 masks, and more suitable to wildfire response operations in remote areas than more advanced methods, like SCBA.
As a firefighter, you’re likely a natural-born fixer and helper—so being up against silent and invisible threats like these could feel stifling. But it’s important to remember there are things you can do to help protect yourself and others, including revisiting your procedures for respiratory protection, reviewing your SOGs for use of protection on the fireground and completing your an annual SCBA fittesting. Because instituting “smaller” policies like these, and ensuring that they’re practiced at each and every call, can truly make all of difference.