Austin Fire provides update on firefighter cancer prevention efforts
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Running into a burning building is one of the most dangerous things a person can do. Yet, firefighters do it every day to help save lives and property.
But there's a silent danger firefighters face after putting out those fires - cancer. The World Health Organization classified firefighting as a carcinogenic profession, because of the exposure to cancer causing chemicals.
On Monday, the Austin Fire Department and Austin Public Safety Wellness Center provided an update on firefighter cancer prevention efforts at the public safety meeting.
"Cancer rates have been fairly high within the firefighter population," said Austin Public Safety Wellness Center Clinic Administrator Heather Arispe.
Arispe said they do health checks for firefighters and other first responders.
"We also provide skin cancer screenings through a third party," Arispe said. "They provide screenings monthly in our facility."
AFD Chief of Staff Rob Vires said they have supplies to help clean off quickly.
"They have wipes that they can use on scene to get the bulk of the contaminants off and then return back to the station," Vires said. "Within an hour, they're supposed to have taken a shower to get the rest of the contaminants off of them."
Vires said one of their main focuses is to identify exposures to the cancer causing chemical PFAS. He said it was in the foam they used at the Austin airport. After working several years on this, Vires said they're almost done changing all of the units out.
"I think by the end of this year, Austin Bergstrom Airport will be completely PFAs free, as far as foam and the apparatus themselves."
AFD Chief of Staff Rob Vires
Arispe said they were also able to conduct PFAS tests for about 78 firefighters through a grant. She said the tests are pretty expensive, so they were limited on how many they could perform.
'Prevalence of early cancers in firefighters'
Other fire departments in Central Texas are also focusing on cancer prevention.
In April, KXAN reported on the Kyle Fire Department's new station incorporating “smart infrastructure” and “green building elements” that were designed in partnership with Texas State University’s Connected Infrastructure for Education, Demonstration and Applied Research Consortium (CIEDAR) program.
Hays County ESD No. 5 Commissioner Susan Meckel said the fire department will work with TXST to study the impact fighting fires can have on someone’s health.
“There’s unfortunately a prevalence of early cancers in firefighters. A lot of it has to do with their exposures on scenes,” Meckel said. For this particular station, we’ve installed some ports and sensors. So we have Texas State students that are monitoring what comes off of our firefighters, what comes off of our equipment when we return from fires.”