As is well known, firefighters face a significantly elevated risk of developing a wide range of occupational cancers. Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters, there is greater awareness that a smoke-smudged face is a risk – not a badge of honor. Most fire departments have adopted post-incident decontamination protocols and other best practices to reduce exposure to harmful particulates that can cause cancer.
Firefighters are acutely aware of the dangers posed by toxic chemicals and particulates released during fires and there are measures within their control that mitigate the risks posed on the fireground. However, another unavoidable part of daily operations presents similar deleterious long-term health effects – diesel exhaust.
Regular exposure to diesel exhaust particulates is a leading cause behind the increased risk of firefighter cancer. Anytime the apparatus is running – whether at the scene of a major fire or while crawling along a parade route – diesel exhaust particulates spew into the environment. Once masks and protective gear are removed, the particulates are breathed in and absorbed by the skin, remain in the air at the fire station and linger on exposed surfaces unless properly cleaned and decontaminated.
Diesel exhaust doesn’t stop at the station door
Hose-based exhaust capture systems that remove diesel fumes from apparatus bays have played an important role in reducing exposure inside the station for decades. But once the apparatus leaves the station, that protection from diesel exhaust fumes ends.
On the fireground or on the street, fire crews are often in close proximity to diesel-powered vehicles for extended periods. Apparatus may idle for hours on the fireground while crews battle flames, stage, rehab or coordinate operations. Firefighters can also spend significant time standing near idling apparatus during training and inspections or while on standby detail.
Even when crews are wearing full protective gear for other hazards, diesel exhaust dissipates into the environment to be absorbed when they doff their SCBA and contaminated gear.
The result is a gap between where exposure happens and where traditional solutions provide protection.
The limits of hose-based exhaust systems
Hose-based exhaust capture systems have become a familiar sight in fire stations, particularly newer facilities. These systems are effective when properly installed, maintained and used as designed. However, they come with inherent limitations.
Because they are fixed in place, the benefits end beyond the station. They also require regular maintenance and repair and may fall into disuse if a component breaks and repairs are delayed due to department budget shortfalls or staffing limitations.
Station design can also complicate installation. Older firehouses often lack the ceiling height or layout needed to accommodate overhead hoses and tracks. Even some newer stations face challenges when retrofitting bays to support complex exhaust infrastructure.
These constraints have prompted many departments to look for alternatives that provide broader, more consistent protection.
Protection that goes where firefighters go
Ward Diesel’s onboard diesel exhaust filtration systems take a different approach. Rather than capturing exhaust after it exits the tailpipe, these systems are mounted directly on the apparatus and filter diesel particulate matter at the source, operating where the apparatus operates.
This mobility fundamentally changes the exposure equation. Instead of trying to control exhaust only in controlled environments, departments can reduce diesel particulate emissions anytime the vehicle is running.
An added benefit is the potential reduction of exhaust exposure for the public. Bystanders, patients and residents often stand near idling apparatus during incidents or public events. Filtering exhaust at the vehicle level helps limit community exposure as well.
Retrofit or new build? Flexibility across apparatus fleets
Despite the need to reduce the risk of firefighter cancer, the realities of budget, station design, apparatus age and model and other factors must be part of the calculus in deciding whether to add a hose-based exhaust system, try an onboard filtration system or forego all the above and take a chance with firefighter health.
Onboard filtration offers flexibility. The original NO SMOKE System is designed for trucks with 2006 or earlier model engines and consists of a filter (that only has to be changed every three years, on average), a diverter unit and an electronic control module.
The NO SMOKE 2, suitable for 2007 or earlier models, foregoes the diverter box technology and filters harmful exhaust inside the fire station at cold starts and while low idling on scene. The system is installed in the tailpipe before the tip and after the after treatment device so it does not void the manufacturer’s warranty.
“You basically install them and don’t even touch them,” said Kyle Farr, marketing coordinator for Ward Diesel. “There is little to no maintenance necessary with our filter systems, particularly when talking about the NO SMOKE 2, which requires no regular maintenance or cleaning. The filter is a flow-through substrate that is automatically regenerated when the vehicle after treatment device regenerates.”
The NO SMOKE 2 can be installed on new apparatus during the build process or retrofitted onto most existing vehicles from 2007 forward, depending on engine type and emissions standards. This allows departments to take a phased approach to exposure reduction rather than waiting for a full station renovation or fleet replacement. It also makes onboard filtration accessible to departments with mixed fleets spanning multiple model years.
The goal is not to force departments into a single solution, but to provide options that align with real-world operational and budgetary constraints.
Fire station realities: Space, age and design constraints
While new fire stations continue to be built across the country, most departments operate out of facilities constructed decades ago. These stations were not designed with modern exhaust capture systems in mind.
Low ceilings, narrow bays and historic construction can make installing or upgrading hose-based systems difficult or cost-prohibitive. Even apparatus design has evolved in response to these constraints, with manufacturers producing low-profile vehicles to fit older stations.
Onboard filtration systems sidestep many of these challenges. Because they don’t require building modifications, they offer an option for departments that lack the space, funding or flexibility to overhaul station infrastructure.
This can be particularly valuable for smaller or volunteer departments, where capital improvement budgets are limited but exposure risks remain just as real.
Moving from reactive to proactive exposure prevention
Too often, conversations about firefighter cancer prevention begin after a diagnosis. While awareness has improved significantly, the fire service remains, in many ways, reactive when it comes to occupational health risks.
“Definitely our biggest proponents are, unfortunately, departments that have had somebody get cancer,” said Farr. “They reach out to us after something’s already happened and that’s when they say, ‘OK, we really need to take this more seriously.’”
Onboard diesel exhaust filtration systems reflect a more proactive mindset by embedding exposure reduction into everyday operations.
“The fact that it goes where you go – it’s not just protecting you in the station. You go on calls, you take your apparatus through a parade – you do anything like that – if you don’t have a NO SMOKE, everyone’s getting diesel particulate in the air around them,” said Farr. “Firefighters spend so much time trying to protect themselves from the smoke of the fire, it seems shortsighted to leave themselves vulnerable next to the vehicle during those calls.”
By addressing diesel exhaust wherever apparatus operate, departments can take a meaningful step toward protecting firefighters throughout their careers and wherever the job takes them.
Visit Ward Diesel for more information about the link between diesel exhaust and firefighter cancer and how onboard diesel exhaust filtration systems can reduce the risk.
