Firefighter Cancer: Prevention and Health

Course overview

Firefighters have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the general U.S. population. Many firefighters face hazards that are easily visible such as structural collapse, hazardous materials, and high heat environments, but it is the unseen hazards that are most dangerous to firefighters today. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concluded after recent studies that firefighters are experiencing a 9 percent increase in cancer diagnoses and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths. Those as young as their 30s are developing these terminal illnesses. In this course, we will explore the common cancer-causing agents firefighters will face on the job as well as the importance of wearing proper PPE and using decontamination techniques to increase firefighter health and quality of life.