By FireRescue1 Staff
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Tucson Fire Department launched a campaign aimed at encouraging first responders to abstain from using tobacco.
The campaign was launched one year after the TFD Capt. Glenn Fleck died from oral cancer caused by the use of tobacco, News 4 Tucson reported. TFD recorded a message from Fleck during his treatment and posted the video on YouTube.
In the video, Fleck detailed how he got oral cancer and pleaded for everyone to stop using tobacco.
“I’m here to hopefully scare you away from tobacco use,” Fleck said. “Your fire department’s like a family. There’s nothing harder than having to tell your family that you have cancer.”
Deputy Chief Darin Wallentine hopes that first responders will hear Fleck’s message beyond southern Arizona.
“It was his plea. He wanted to get the message out to please stop,” he said. “We’re responding to calls that increase our chances of contracting cancer. This is one of those things that we can try to incentivize them to stop so they can limit their chances of cancer through the use of tobacco.”