The dirtier a firefighter was used to be something he or she would tout. Now, however, studies are showing that dirty firefighting gear is leading to cancer in firefighters.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) completed a study in 2015, showing firefighters were at a higher risk for cancer diagnosis or cancer-related deaths. The study also went on to show the chance of lung cancer increased by time spent at a fire, while the chance for leukemia increased with the number of fire calls run.