As if running into a burning building to rescue someone or put out a fire isn’t dangerous enough, headlines today are indicating that firefighters are now being diagnosed with cancer at a much higher rate than other professions…most likely caused by exposing themselves to cancer causing elements produced by fires. Obviously the need for firefighters won’t go away anytime soon but what is being done to minimize that exposure, mainly to hydrocarbons and carcinogens before, during and after fighting a fire…?
Mid-County Fire Chief Scott Frandsen also says, it’s not just fire calls that expose personnel to potentially dangerous materials and elements which is, often, the beginning of another battle years down the road…dealing with doctors and insurance companies when it comes time to pay those medical bills. Tomorrow on the final part of our three-part series we take a look at how the recent reports of firefighters being more likely to be diagnosed with cancer will affect the industry, as a whole, in the future.
