363 Fire Department Cancer Risk Exposure Reduction Project

Abstract

Cancer is killing more structure firefighters than all other causes of line of duty deaths combined. It is widely accepted that firefighters have a high-risk profession relative to other occupations. In contrast, far less is known about the potential increased risk of chronic illnesses that may also be a consequence of firefighting, especially cancer. The career comes with a wide range of exposures in dangerous situations ranging from medical calls, car accidents, residential and commercial structure fires; yet the risk of cancer in the fire service is poorly understood by many in the field and the solution to this problem begins with education.