By Bill Carey
FireRescue1
WASHINGTON — The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) unveiled a new Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-being, building on years of research and collaboration with fire service organizations to address immediate and long-term firefighting risks.
“Firefighters are vital to the safety of our communities, risking their health and safety to protect our own,” NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard said. “This new center allows NIOSH to consolidate our research and knowledge to better protect firefighters from the dangers they encounter on the job.”
The online center will be a hub for firefighter-related research, including fatality investigations, cancer studies and health hazard evaluations. It will also manage the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer and facilitate research into hazardous exposures, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the unique risks of wildland firefighting environments.
According to NIOSH, the center will enable quicker responses to emerging threats and help prioritize the organization’s research and service efforts.
For more information on the Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-being and other NIOSH programs supporting firefighters and first responders, visit the NIOSH website.
