VIDEO: Last year, the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths for firefighters was not fires.
It was cancer, specifically cancers linked to the dangers of the job. That’s according to the International Association of Fire Fighters.
For firefighters, the lingering effects of a fire can be even more dangerous than the actual flames or smoke.
TFD firefighter Stuart Sherman and hundreds of other firefighters are taking part in studies with the University of Arizona to measure their exposure to toxic chemicals. Sherman says his results show a high level of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” that have previously been linked to firefighting foam and water-repellent gear. He says he’s had sobering conversations with researchers working on the studies.
“It’s not so much a question of if we get cancer because of this higher exposures, it’s more of a question now of when,” he said.