January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, a time to recognize the impact of work-related cancer in the fire service. Almost every fire scene–especially interior structural firefighting–can expose firefighters to chemicals, chemical compounds, and carcinogens that may increase their risk of cancer.
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) created the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer to better understand cancer risk in the fire service. When you join the NFR for Cancer, you share information about your work history, health, and exposures that can pave the way for new health and safety measures. All U.S. firefighters – with or without cancer, active or retired, and any specialty – can join.
I’ve registered and so should you! Why? Because the more we know, the more we know.