Threats of Cancer in the Fire Service

Discuss the threats of cancer in the fire service in the latest episode of Western Fire Chiefs Association’s Fire Headlines Podcast featuring Jeff Griffin.

Threats of Cancer in the Fire Service

A recent article reports that South Portland (Maine) Firefighters have received a $20,000 FEMA grant to provide preventative cancer screenings to their crews. Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion and panelist Chief Jeff Buchanan are joined by Western Fire Chief Association’s Division Secretary and International Association of Fire Chief’s Lead Division Secretary, Jeff Griffin, to hear his insights on risk management and safety as it pertains to this topic. Fire Headlines panelist Chief Bob Horton is away this week.

Exposure Risks

In this week’s discussion, Chief Buchanan begins by addressing how this topic significantly impacts the behavioral, psychological, and emotional well-being of firefighters. There are a variety of ways firefighters are exposed to cancer-causing agents in their line of duty. Exposure can occur during interior firefighting or even in the fire station, from rig exhaust or even improper care of personal protective equipment.

Chief Buchanan recalls that a couple decades ago, when he entered the fire service, it was considered a badge of honor to walk around wearing dirty turnouts and soot-covered helmets for extended periods as it signified that the individual had been actively engaged in battling a fire that day. He recalls how some firefighters would wear their flash hoods, which were also covered in hazardous material from fires, around their necks for prolonged periods. Firefighters at that time were unaware that incomplete particles of combustion, found in smoke, had been absorbed into their flash hoods.

Insurance Coverage for Firefighters

In the discussion, Jeff Griffin shares his expertise, pointing out that all 50 states now have implemented some form of presumption related to cancer, but the specifics vary greatly. Certain states designate only four specific types of cancers that they will insure or require as a presumption, while some states encompass all types of cancers in their policies. He says when it comes to cancer, comp companies begin questioning, “When did you get it? And where did you get it?” Presumption laws prove beneficial because they automatically assume the firefighter got it from work, yet the challenge lies in determining which cancers are covered and which do not.

In Griffin’s profession, they are striving to make sure any illness that firefighters may contract as a result of their work are properly covered. However, he acknowledges that it will take a long time to reach that point with insurance providers. In the meantime, he stresses the importance of firefighters taking preventative steps to protect themselves and their colleagues.

Firefighters Today are Battling Different Types of Fires

Griffin addresses the types of fires that today’s firefighters are confronting and highlights how drastically different they are from those they faced two decades ago. Back then, fires mostly involved natural material, whereas in today’s context, as much as 80% of a new home or a new commercial building is either made of plastics or petroleum products. These contemporary fires ignite faster, burn hotter, and expose fire crews to rapidly evolving chemical hazards.

Cancer Resources for Firefighters:

• Cancer Awareness and Prevention Resources – IAFF
• Firefighter Cancer Support Network | Together we can…
• Cancer Prevention Resources (iafc.org)
• Firefighter Resources, Cancer and Other Illnesses | NIOSH | CDC

Contact Jeff Griffin: [email protected]

You can email Fire Headlines at [email protected].

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