New focus on firefighter cancer: Baltimore-area departments say they recognize the risk and are making changes
The first time
The now 43-year-old
“I had no idea. None,” said Dant, now a lieutenant for the
But that is changing, as awareness grows in firehouses and government officials commit money to researching the connection and buying new equipment to reduce firefighters’ risk.
A federal firefighter cancer registry is in the works to help scientists monitor the disease and track links between firefighters’ exposures to carcinogens and incidence of cancer.
For instance,
Research from the
When common materials burn, they can produce toxic contaminants, including those known to cause cancer, that can seep into firefighters’ skin or be inhaled. These substances coat the protective gear the firefighters wear, which can spread the contamination to firehouses, personal vehicles and homes. And the diesel fumes from their trucks are also linked to cancer.
“We can’t take away every exposure, but we can do more than what we’re currently doing,” said
This summer, the
The new vehicle keeps contaminated gear -- like breathing tanks, gas monitors and flashlights -- in a separate compartment rather than the cab itself.
The county plans to eventually replace or retrofit all its engines with clean cabs, Uhlhorn said. The new truck cost about
Uhlhorn’s father, who retired as a
The NIOSH study, completed in 2015, included 30,000 firefighters from the
News reports of cancer appearing in first responders in the 9/11 terrorist attacks also have helped spur awareness, fire officials say.
“It’s so prevalent, you can’t ignore it,” Uhlhorn said.
In general, agencies are putting more emphasis on rapid decontamination after fires.
“When you’re fighting fires, it’s hard not to get dirty, and we acknowledge that," said Division Chief
Some of the changes represent a culture shift for firefighters.
"It used to be that the dirtier your gear, the more macho,” said
As part of the union’s latest contract, the county said it would fund a second set of turnout gear for each member, ensuring they always have a clean set after calls. The county also said it would work to secure federal grant funds to buy extractors to clean firefighter gear in hopes of reducing exposure to carcinogens.
The
The Maryland State Firemen’s Association, which represents volunteers, is also pushing for more awareness, advocating for state funding for cancer screenings and other measures.
She said he appeared healthy in 2008 when he retired from a three-decade career with the
But three months into his retirement, the
“I think if he had done anything else with his life, we would not have lost him when we did,” Richards said.
A new state law pushed by unions added three types of cancers -- bladder, kidney and renal cell -- to those covered, bringing the total number to a dozen.
Some municipal officials have complained the laws are too generous and make it difficult to challenge claims in court because a firefighter is covered, even if he or she has risk factors unrelated to their job, such as smoking.
Neither of cancers that Dant fought -- thyroid and cervical -- fall under the state’s presumption laws.
After a workers compensation dispute with
But nothing makes up for the fact that treatment for her cervical cancer left her unable to bear children. She underwent a hysterectomy at age 27. Growing up in a family of five children, Dant always envisioned having kids of her own.
Nine years after doctors found the cervical cancer, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
Dant, who grew up near a firehouse in
She said the scarcity of research on female firefighters was an extra challenge in her case.
With the fire service traditionally dominated by white men, previous studies have included small numbers of female and minority personnel. Nationally, nearly 96% of firefighters are men, and about 82% of firefighters are white, according to the
Scientists hope a new national initiative will shed more light on cancer in women and non-white firefighters -- as well as volunteer firefighters, who also have been understudied.
Last year, President
The registry law received bipartisan support and was supported by groups such as the
“When you’re fighting fires, it’s hard not to get dirty, and we acknowledge that. But what we can do is get clean fast.”","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[]},"_id":"MVPFBOTQZFHQ7CY34OIGGI5F4U
Montgomery County Division Chief
“It will give us undeniable data," said IAFF spokesman
Researchers hope the registry will provide a large, diverse sample and help better identify risk factors that may be linked to cancer, such as workplace practices, said
The new registry will include volunteer firefighters.
It will likely be at least a year before NIOSH is able to begin registering firefighters, said
Dant said she has found her purpose in educating others in the fire service and trying to prevent cancer in her profession.
She now volunteers with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, a national organization that provides mentors to firefighters with cancer and their families. She also teaches cancer prevention classes in her department.
But many firefighters still don’t expect to get cancer, she said.
“They don’t think it’s going to happen to them," she said. “But at least they’re taking note.”
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