As fire departments across the nation prepare for the Second International Firefighter Stand Down on June 21, a conversation I had last week raises an interesting question.

A man who has been involved in the fire service for quite a while expressed his serious concern at the increasing number of firefighters dying from cancer. It seems that we hear more and more about firefighters across the country battling this disease.

Several firefighters who were at Ground Zero recently died from lung cancer, and a couple of months ago, I received an e-mail from someone in Washington who said he'd heard of five emergency vehicle technicians who had died from cancer.

In the February issue of FIRE CHIEF we ran "Road to Recovery," an article by Aurora, Colo., Fire Officer Craig Coultas describing his battle with cancer. In the article, Coultas wonders if his cancer was linked to his career in firefighting.

Is cancer more prevalent among firefighters because of the carcinogens to which they're exposed, or is cancer just an insidious disease with no boundaries? Is anyone researching possible links between firefighters and cancer? Should fire departments be reporting these cases to some agency or organization that's tracking this information?

For more than a decade, we've heard that turnout gear, including paramedic and EMT clothing, should be washed to remove any contaminants. Every manufacturer of protective clothing includes specific directions on how to best maintain each item of clothing or equipment.

While gear, particularly turnout gear, should be cleaned, firefighters are advised not to wash their firefighting apparel with family clothing. In fact, NFPA 1851, Selection, Care and Maintenance of Structural Fire Fighting Protective Ensembles, details how to clean personal protective wear.

NFPA 1851 was created to protect firefighters, their families and anyone who might come in contact with turnout gear from possible contaminants. The standard also defines explicit guidelines and roles and responsibilities for inspection, cleaning and repair of turnout gear. Visit the NFPA Web site for more information.

As you prepare for the Second International Firefighter Stand Down, review NFPA 1851 to ensure that everyone in your department is aware of the need to properly clean and maintain the protective clothing they wear. To learn how to make your department's Stand Down efforts more effective, visit the Stand Down Web site. As part of your Stand Down, review your department's SOPs for PPE cleaning and maintenance, and follow your manufacturer's guidelines to ensure you're ready for the next alarm.

Your safety starts with each piece of protective equipment you put on. Well-worn, dirty turnout gear may display years of fire experience, but contaminated gear could be a death sentence to you or possibly those close to you.

And as for a possible link between firefighters and cancer, is any research being done? There should be. Please let us know.

Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director
janet@firechief.com