By James A. Jones Jr.
The Bradenton Herald
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Firefighters in Bradenton and Sarasota are teaming up with Sarasota Memorial Hospital to address cancer, one of the leading causes of death among firefighters.
“When firefighters joined the fire department, we knew it was a dangerous job. What we didn’t know was that over a period of years — the cumulative effect — what it would cause on our bodies, and we are just learning that now,” Longboat Key Fire Chief Paul Dezzi said during a recent news conference to announce the formation of the Firefighters Cancer Collaborative.
Even with state-of-the-art protective gear, firefighters face contamination from hazardous substances during exposure to hundreds of different chemicals in the form of gases, vapors and particulates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Some of these chemical substances are known or suspected to cause cancer. Some of these hazardous substances are byproducts of combustion or burning, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Others come from the materials burning or in the fire debris, such as asbestos from older structures,” the CDC says on its webpage.
By reducing firefighters’ exposure risks, encouraging regular cancer screenings and providing education, navigation and support, the Firefighters Cancer Collaborative seeks to save more lives.
Among Manatee County fire departments that have joined the collaborative:
— East Manatee Fire Rescue
— West Manatee Fire Rescue
— Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue
— City of Bradenton Fire Department
— North River Fire Department
— Southern Manatee Fire Rescue
— Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
— Parrish Fire Rescue
— Duette Fire and Rescue District
“Cancer is the number-one health threat for firefighters with mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder right behind,” said Michael Williamson, division chief for Parrish Fire Rescue.
In addition to active firefighters, the collaborative is trying to reach out to retirees as well, so that they can share their background with their healthcare providers, Williamson said.
“We are behind them all the way,” he said.
A partnership between Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute and local fire departments, the collaborative is focused on raising awareness about the cancer-causing hazards and steps firefighters can take to reduce their exposure.
Supported in part by a grant from the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, the Jellison Cancer Institute program also provides free navigation and support services to local firefighters affected by a cancer diagnosis.
The initiative, which has been in the works for about a year, started when Dezzi approached Sarasota Memorial to discuss the rising number of cancer diagnoses reported among fire-rescue workers locally and globally.
“Firefighters, by virtue of what they do, are at higher risk. There are a multitude of agents they are exposed to on a daily basis that are carcinogenic,” Dr. Richard Brown, chief program medical director of the Jellison Cancer Institute, said in a press release.
“We know there is a greater risk of developing or dying of cancer if you are a firefighter,” he said.
Cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Research by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health revealed firefighters have a 9% higher risk of developing cancer and a 14% greater risk of dying from cancer compared to the rest of the U.S. population.
The cancers mostly responsible for this higher rate were respiratory (lung, mesothelioma), gastrointestinal (buccal, pharynx, esophageal, large intestine) and kidney, but Florida specifically has identified 23 different forms of cancer linked to the profession.
While carcinogens like asbestos and other inhalants are a factor, another risk comes from the absorption of chemicals into firefighters’ skin.
Firefighters are urged to remove their hoods and gear as soon as safely possible and fire departments are updating and prioritizing safety procedures and decontamination areas to make washing chemicals off firefighters and their protective gear faster, easier and safer, the collaborative said.
“Any cancer, if you catch it earlier, is better than if you let it go,” Brown said.
“Firefighters tend to be younger and more fit and they tend not to think anything is going to happen to them. Unfortunately, that is not correct,” he said.
(c)2023 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)
Visit The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.) at www.bradenton.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.