| Emergency Driving: Remember to always maintain situational awareness and caution while driving, especially at traffic signals.
Elevated cancer risk among firefighters:
According to a study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Firefighters have a 9% higher chance to develop cancer and a 14% increased rate of dying from cancer. Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Diego Firefighters that were studied showed higher rates of certain types of cancer than the general U.S. population. Firefighters in a number of studies done over the last 30 years had a greater number of cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths.
We need to continue to raise awareness! Exposure prevention efforts are a cost effective means to reduce the risk of life altering medical conditions.
When you exit a structure or return from a call, take a few moments to properly clean your PPE. Where your SCBA during any activity where you are exposed to products of combustion. If you come back from a medical call, you wouldn't hesitate to wash your hands after being near a patients bodily fluids. Similarly, when returning from a fire call, or live fire or smoke training, clean your equipment.
Clean gear is the new badge of honor.
If you can see and/or smell the product, you're wearing the product, you're breathing the product.
Check out these videos for some more information:
The Invisible Danger of Bunker Gear Transfer
NBC Nightly News Story: Cancer Risk in Firefighters
Thank you to Craig Enke and Chris Welu for our training this evening. |