Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month from The Texas Commission on Fire Protection
January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month and The Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) is partnering with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) to raise awareness.
Firefighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service.
From 2015-2020, 75% of the firefighters added to the International Association of Firefighters - Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial died from occupational cancer.
Firefighters are occupationally exposed to combustion products of modern residential, commercial, vehicle, wildland and other fires that contain many hazardous substances. These include carcinogens (i.e., cancer-causing chemicals) present during fire responses and at the fire station.
Years of research have clearly documented firefighters’ exposure to carcinogens in all phases of fire response, including overhaul. Recent studies have also addressed combustion of all the new synthetic products present in homes, cars and factories. A carcinogen exposure to products of combustion does not require visible smoke.
Chronic exposure to heat, smoke and toxicants puts firefighters at higher risk for developing cancer when compared to non-firefighters.
Inhalation, ingestion and absorption of toxic substances causes cell damage that may lead to cancer.
Watch this video shared by the Sugar Land Fire-EMS Department here:
fb.watch/aFhsSwrlpA/ 
