The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) each year pays tribute to hundreds of fallen firefighters nationwide who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Most of the fallen heroes who will be honored succumbed to one of the greatest threats they faced on the job—cancer.
Natalie’s Story
Natalie Hill’s husband, Cpt. Stephen Hill lost his life after a six-year battle with occupational cancer. The couple had been married for 17 years with two young children when he died on May 29, 2020, Natalie told The Epoch Times.He was 42.
In May 1999, Stephen joined the Richardson Fire Department in Richardson, Texas, where he spent his career in the fire service.
In early 2014, Stephen was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), a bone marrow disorder that required chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
Natalie said less was known about the cancer risk for firefighters when Stephen joined the fire service, adding that proper decontamination protocols after a fire have gained attention in recent years.
“A lot of departments are rolling [decontamination protocols] out, and sometimes the older guys who have been doing this for 30-40 years think, ‘I’m fine,’” not realizing the importance of reducing exposure to the chemicals that are inhaled and absorbed through their skin, Natalie said.
In Stephen’s case, he was 15 years into his career when MDS struck. The following year he was diagnosed with a tumor near his sinus and brain. He was treated with radiation and chemotherapy.
Over the next few years, Natalie said Stephen had various skin cancers, including an aggressive form on his face, diagnosed in mid-April 2020, about six weeks before his death.
In early May of that year, Stephen was not doing well and was admitted to the hospital. At this point, Natalie, whose background is in human resources, suggested Stephen file a workers’ compensation claim for his cancer, which fell under the state’s presumptive laws for firefighters.
Stephen’s claim was approved after his death.
Natalie said she is thankful for the coverage workers’ compensation provided for her family.
She also said she advises others to seek help immediately from their fire association if they or a loved one receives any type of cancer diagnosis, whether it falls under the presumptive laws or not.
It is up to workers’ compensation to prove the cancer was not caused by occupational hazards, she explained. The fire association can provide assistance with applications and provide other resources.
“If you’re not sure if it’s covered, file [a claim] anyway, as you do not want to miss the cutoff [date],” Natalie said. “Timelines are incredibly significant with any diagnosis when filing workers comp claims,” she continued, adding that the work-related illness or injury must be reported within 30 days.
Natalie said it is important for fire service personnel to enroll in the supplemental life insurance offered through the city and to keep the beneficiary information up to date.
“God forbid something happens; your family will be grateful,” she said.
These days, Natalie said she and her children are grateful for the time they had with Stephen, and she leans on her faith to see her through.
Forever Chemicals
Toxic chemicals known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, can be found in the water, soil, food, and air. This class of chemicals has been widely used in industry and consumer products, such as cookware, clothing, upholstery, food packaging, and more, since the 1940s, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).These highly toxic chemicals are also found in turnout gear, also known as bunker gear, the personal protective equipment worn by firefighters.
Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 440, President Michael Glynn, 48, told The Epoch Times that the health risks for firefighters today are far greater than they were 50 years ago.
Structures prior to the 1970s were built using heavy untreated timber, and homes were filled with more natural fibers, such as cotton.
“We didn’t have the plastics, the silks, polyesters, and synthetic materials” found in homes built after that time, Glynn said, adding that newer construction fails more quickly, creating another layer of safety risk.
A structure fire today includes many types of plastics, treated wood, and other materials that contain PFAS that are inhaled and absorbed through the skin.
And the dangers continue long after the fire is out.
Toxic chemicals from the fire continue to transfer and off-gas from the firefighter’s bunker gear and other equipment, Glynn said. On top of that, their turnout gear is made from materials containing PFAS.
Traditionally, firefighters leave a fire call and return to the firehouse with their contaminated gear. They may get to shower if there’s time, but when the next call comes in, they have to head out in the same gear.
In 2022, the IAFF and Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association warned firefighters to limit the use of bunker gear as a way to reduce continued PFAS exposure.
“They’re called ’the forever chemicals,’ and once we manufacture some of them, they last forever, they just migrate through different systems,” University of Notre Dame physics Professor Graham Peaslee told CBS News in a 2022 interview. “If they’re inhaled or ingested by humans, they‘ll end up in your body, and they’ll stay there for years.”
Peaslee had been studying PFAS in the environment when the wife of a firefighter diagnosed with prostrate cancer convinced him to analyze turnout gear.
The professor and his team looked at 30 different sets of turnout gear, including the outer shell, moisture barrier, and thermal liner.
Culture Change
Some fire departments have pushed for firefighters to be provided with a second set of turnout gear, but it is expensive, and often, cities don’t want to spend the money, Glynn said. Plus, a second set of gear is not necessarily the best solution because you could still end up with two sets of dirty gear.
Many fire departments, including Fort Worth, are rethinking their decontamination protocols and trying to find ways to reduce health risks.
“Traditionally, your [dirty] gear, especially your helmet, was a sign of a tough, busy firefighter,” Glynn said. “It’s important for us to keep our gear clean and our helmets clean, so that’s really been a change in the culture.”
Fort Worth recently started a program to provide clean gear on the scene of the fire. Basically, a gear truck shows up, and the firefighter exchanges his dirty gear for clean gear before heading back to the firehouse.
Glynn said the program was not very popular at first, but he believes it is a good way to keep contaminated gear out of the firehouse, as well as making safer when a firefighter travels to a different station and needs to transport their gear.
He also said FWFD is providing firefighters with wipes to clean their faces, necks, hands, wrists, and other exposed areas as soon as they remove their gear. They are asked to clean their helmets and boots, as well.
Glynn said the department also encourages firefighters to wear their SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus) for longer periods.
Most departments require fire personnel to complete annual physicals, but the extent of the physicals varies by city. In recent years, FWFD started requiring more thorough physicals, and soon, it will be adding annual ultrasounds of the major organs, he explained.
“Firefighting has always been a dangerous job,” Glynn said. “But now it’s dangerous for other reasons.”
