January dedicated as firefighter cancer awareness month
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — January has been dedicated as firefighter cancer awareness month.
Occupational cancer is now the leading cause of death among firefighters – surpassing heart disease. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) are committed to reversing this trend to save more fire fighter lives, according to a press release.
“As we continue to learn more about the link between firefighting and cancer, it is more important than ever that we take steps to minimize the risk fire fighters face every single day,” FCSN CEO Bryan Frieders said. “The science around fire fighter exposures is constantly changing but with continued research we learn more and more and are better equipped to introduce prevention practices to reduce our risk of developing occupational cancer.”
During Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month, the IAFF and FCSN will partner to deliver targeted education and best practices and resources to reduce the impact of cancer on fire fighters.
Topics are reinforced through online resources, such as daily training information and infographics that promote the program on social media and podcasts addressing important cancer topics and the latest research.
