Initiative launched to protect Pennsylvania firefighters from cancer

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (WHTM) — The National Federation of Frontline Workers Foundation (NCFWF) will soon launch a national cancer reduction and prevention initiative in Pennsylvania to better protect the health of firefighters It’s a schedule.

NCFWF is a 501(c)3 certified non-profit organization whose mission is to: According to their website, to provide representation to frontline workers across the United States. Recently, the organization recognized the need to help prevent and reduce cancer among frontline workers, especially firefighters.

according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)Compared to the general US population, firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from it.

In addition to the high risk associated with cancer diagnosis in frontline firefighters, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies firefighting as “carcinogenic to humans”.

As of January 2022, Pennsylvania had the most registered fire departments in the United States, with 1,799 fire departments, according to the NCFWF. Of the 1,799 divisions, 90.1% are volunteer divisions. In response to this recent data, NCFWF will soon begin rolling out decontamination kits, educational seminars, free equipment, and training to volunteer and career fire departments throughout Keystone State.

The Firefighter Cancer Reduction Initiative will roll out across Pennsylvania beginning in February. According to the NCFWF, their personal goal is to roll out this same initiative to the top 10 most impactful regions across the country by October 2023.

Over the next three years, this new initiative aims to provide decontamination kits to 52,000 fire departments nationwide.

In collaboration with NCFWF, the Firefighter Cancer Reduction Initiative will work together to advance legislative change to improve access to protections and critical items related to cancer prevention, including:

• Occupational death benefits
• health care
• Device
• Recognition for all fire and rescue personnel

Learn more about NSFWF, or donate to NSFWF, here. www.frontlineworkers.org