Fairfax, Va. – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Board of Directors has adopted a position statement in support of the National Fire Service Cancer Initiative.
Submitted by the IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) and supported by the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section (SHS), the position statement encourages chiefs of fire and rescue departments to support the initiative being facilitated by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
“With the rate of firefighter deaths linked to cancer growing every year, we also encourage departments to look for other ways to be proactive in alleviating exposure to known toxins and carcinogens,” the statement says. “We strongly support the funding for, and provision of, secondary firefighting hoods and gear bags to transport Personal Protective ensemble (PPE) as ways to mitigate exposure to such carcinogens. Furthermore, we encourage the continuous use of SCBA through overhaul and the use of disposable wipes at every fire during rehab to remove potential carcinogens.”
The statement says the IAFC “strongly recommends that all fire and emergency service agencies/organizations develop written policies and have procedures in place to support and enforce these policy recommendations.”
The position statement was adopted by the IAFC Board of Director on May 12, 2016. Read full position statement.