10/20/2019
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It Won't Happen to Me
“It happened a year ago today,” Kevin thought as he made his way down the stark hallway. A left at the end and then a right; he had the path memorized. As he approached room 225 (his treatment room), flashes of his ugly diagnosis came to mind. The doctor’s face was grim as he said: “I’m sorry, but you have cancer.” Kevin sat frozen as he naively thought, “NO! This can’t happen to me. Cancer doesn’t happen to someone like me… I’m a firefighter.”
The Statistics
Cancer can affect anyone. This ugly disease claims more firefighter lives than any other on-the-job danger they may face according to a 2016 study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The study also showed firefighters have more cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths than that of the general U.S. population.
The most common types of firefighter cancer include digestive, oral, respiratory and urinary. According to the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), about 60 percent of firefighters will eventually die from cancer.
The cause? It’s the smoke. Smoke is made up of several different types of chemicals that can potentially cause cancer, as stated in a recent IAFF study. From car fires to residential wood-burning fires to dumpster fires, all generate smoke laced with cancer-causing carcinogens. One study, which drew the blood of firefighters after they responded to a fire, showed blood samples with chemical levels that were twice as high as the firefighters at the World Trade Center attacks.
The Rough and Dirty Mentality
The sensationalized depiction of a firefighter is a rough, dirty, invincible type of image. Firefighters are usually shown wearing, cooking and sleeping in their smoke-stained gear. They have smudges on their faces and helmets speckled with burn marks. This rough persona generates an idealism of firefighting as the dirtier the better, and the blacker the gear, the more impressive the firefighter. Firefighters who mimic this image may increase their exposure to cancer.
Relaxing in personal protective equipment (PPE) soaked in toxins, removing masks immediately after a fire and choosing to wear old, smoke-stained gear versus clean gear elevates the risk of developing cancer. Washing gear, showering immediately after a fire and leaving masks on during the overhaul period are simple ways to help combat cancer. Scheduling and attending wellness exams can also help to catch cancer during its early stages.
Read more cancer prevention tips
The Broker
As brokers and program managers, our partnership with our clients is extremely valuable in helping to protect them against the ongoing threat of cancer. Reinforcing and building our relationships will assist us in discussing their exposures, such as wearing dirty gear or having a “this won’t happen to me” mentality and can give us opportunities to make suggestions on how to reduce their cancer risks.
Becoming experts, communicating the benefits and constantly ensuring critical illness coverage is a critical component of emergency service organizations' insurance packages is central to protecting firefighters. Explaining the advantages of other coverage, such as group term life, could add an extra layer of protection for them and their families. Knowing the constant exposures firefighters face on every call and understanding that every fire could potentially increase their risk of developing cancer is our best defense against this terrible disease. Our client’s battle is not just on the fire ground, but in the hospital as well.
