On this page, we will work to bring you the latest information we learn regarding this very important issue. Young or old, rookie or veteran, besides the inherent dangers we are aware of, there are the others that we cannot see.
My sincere thanks to the great team at the University of Miami - Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center for their ongoing efforts and their informational support with our podcast, "5-Alarm Task Force."
My sincere thanks to the great team at the University of Miami - Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center for their ongoing efforts and their informational support with our podcast, "5-Alarm Task Force."
January 31, 2022 - With sincere thanks to Chief Billy Goldfeder and FirefighterCloseCalls.com we want to make you aware of a new website, dedicated to male firefighters, age 40+, regarding one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in the fire service - prostate cancer. The site is http://www.40plusfire.com. It is a free site with a great deal of information for us to learn about prostate cancer and we we can do about it. If you have questions or concerns, THIS is the website to go to. Of course, you should always know that you can and should, reach out to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, at firefightercancersupport.org/
October 18, 2020 - Thanks to some of our dear friends, we are being educated in another, almost hidden danger that as firefighters, we face each time we put on our bunker. With information gleaned from Diane and Paul Cotter, Graham Peaslee, Professor Experimental Nuclear Physics Concurrent Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry, at Notre Dame University and Robert A. Bilott, Esq., we are learning that we must expand our Firefighter Cancer Initiative to include those aspects of the disease that are products of PFAS and/or PFOS, Carbon-Flourine chains, used in the manufacturing of our bunker gear for waterproofing. Mr. Bilott is seeking Class-Action status for a lawsuit, in which he wishes to represent not only every firefighter since 1977, but everyone living in the U.S. since 1977, when these man-made, artificial chemicals were first introduced into such items including AFFF, Teflon-coated cookware, bunker gear, etc. These two groups are aka "Forever Chemicals," as they are man-made and will never breakdown after millions of years. For more information, follow @yourturnoutgear&pfoa and @5AlarmTaskForce on Twitter!
October 18, 2020 - Thanks to some of our dear friends, we are being educated in another, almost hidden danger that as firefighters, we face each time we put on our bunker. With information gleaned from Diane and Paul Cotter, Graham Peaslee, Professor Experimental Nuclear Physics Concurrent Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry, at Notre Dame University and Robert A. Bilott, Esq., we are learning that we must expand our Firefighter Cancer Initiative to include those aspects of the disease that are products of PFAS and/or PFOS, Carbon-Flourine chains, used in the manufacturing of our bunker gear for waterproofing. Mr. Bilott is seeking Class-Action status for a lawsuit, in which he wishes to represent not only every firefighter since 1977, but everyone living in the U.S. since 1977, when these man-made, artificial chemicals were first introduced into such items including AFFF, Teflon-coated cookware, bunker gear, etc. These two groups are aka "Forever Chemicals," as they are man-made and will never breakdown after millions of years. For more information, follow @yourturnoutgear&pfoa and @5AlarmTaskForce on Twitter!

December 4, 2018 - Thanks to a previous guest and friend of the show, Bill Banks of Fire-Tec and The Decon Store, I met two gentlemen today, who are not firefighters, but are doing their best to help them. And, "them" = every single firefighter in the U.S. How?
Jeff Rountree and Bill Hamilton are the directors of the non-profit, "Hoods for Heroes," (http://hoodsforheroes.org), on Facebook as Hoods for Heroes and Instagram @hoodsforheroes. They are raising funds through corporate and business contributions, to provide new, anti-particulate hoods for firefighters, all in the goal to reduce and/or prevent firefighter occupational cancer. Sadly, the numbers are staggering. Recently, their efforts resulted in having every single active firefighter in Clay County FL receive a new hood, at no cost to the department or the firefighters. (If you would like to volunteer your time to the cause, they would love to hear from you, too!) By the way, neither of these men have been firefighters. They have friends who are, or were. Several of them have been diagnosed with firefighting occupational cancers and are fighting the good fight.
If you work for a large business or corporation and want to learn more or wish to help, contact them at [email protected]. Both you and they will be glad you did!
Jeff Rountree and Bill Hamilton are the directors of the non-profit, "Hoods for Heroes," (http://hoodsforheroes.org), on Facebook as Hoods for Heroes and Instagram @hoodsforheroes. They are raising funds through corporate and business contributions, to provide new, anti-particulate hoods for firefighters, all in the goal to reduce and/or prevent firefighter occupational cancer. Sadly, the numbers are staggering. Recently, their efforts resulted in having every single active firefighter in Clay County FL receive a new hood, at no cost to the department or the firefighters. (If you would like to volunteer your time to the cause, they would love to hear from you, too!) By the way, neither of these men have been firefighters. They have friends who are, or were. Several of them have been diagnosed with firefighting occupational cancers and are fighting the good fight.
If you work for a large business or corporation and want to learn more or wish to help, contact them at [email protected]. Both you and they will be glad you did!

Meet the Staff:
Alberto Caban-Martinez, DO, PhD, MPH, is a board-certified osteopathic physician, occupational epidemiologist and Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, His program of research investigates how the firefighting work environment increases cancer risk and develops interventions to reduce carcinogenic exposures.
Alberto Caban-Martinez, DO, PhD, MPH, is a board-certified osteopathic physician, occupational epidemiologist and Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, His program of research investigates how the firefighting work environment increases cancer risk and develops interventions to reduce carcinogenic exposures.

Natasha Schaefer-Solle, PhD, RN, is a nurse scientist with research interest in cancer disparities and occupational health. Her research at the Sylvester Fire Cancer Initiative includes documenting the cancer burden in the Florida Fire Service, integrating new methods of workplace cancer screenings and evaluate workplace interventions to reduce cancer risk.
November 30, 2018 - Reserve your free ticket for the 2019 National Firefighter Cancer Symposium to be held June 10th-11th, 2019 at the Donna E. Shalala Student Center at the University of Miami.
The symposium will also be live-streamed for those who are unable to attend in person. We'll make that URL available as soon as it is announced!
For more information and to reserve your free ticket, please visit: https://www.2019firefightercancersymposium.com/
If you are unable to attend, we are pleased to announce that there will be a live stream of the symposium, as well. As soon as I have the details, I will post them here!
The symposium will also be live-streamed for those who are unable to attend in person. We'll make that URL available as soon as it is announced!
For more information and to reserve your free ticket, please visit: https://www.2019firefightercancersymposium.com/
If you are unable to attend, we are pleased to announce that there will be a live stream of the symposium, as well. As soon as I have the details, I will post them here!
Beginning last month, through the efforts of the Chief Financial Officer and the Office of the State Fire Marshall, a grant of $1 million was announced for the purpose of providing, at not cost to the departments, a "gross-decon" bucket, supplies and accompanying media, to each fire department in the State of Florida, for each apparatus of each department. This bucket was produced based on data received by the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical Team, who also played an integral role in helping select the included equipment, instructions and videos.
The buckets contain accompanying equipment, such as a hose, fittings to connect the hose to the pump, a regulated nozzle that will not over-pressure and allow the water stream to force soot particulate or water, deep into the fibers of the turnout gear, thus eliminating the perceived danger of a "steam burn," special wipes conducive to removing soot from the face, neck and other skin areas, a brush for scrubbing the soot off, etc.
These buckets will allow each department to take a pro-active role in the Florida Firefighter Cancer Initiative and being protecting members from the dangers of the toxins and carcinogens we face on every working fire!
The buckets contain accompanying equipment, such as a hose, fittings to connect the hose to the pump, a regulated nozzle that will not over-pressure and allow the water stream to force soot particulate or water, deep into the fibers of the turnout gear, thus eliminating the perceived danger of a "steam burn," special wipes conducive to removing soot from the face, neck and other skin areas, a brush for scrubbing the soot off, etc.
These buckets will allow each department to take a pro-active role in the Florida Firefighter Cancer Initiative and being protecting members from the dangers of the toxins and carcinogens we face on every working fire!
During their podcast on December 3, 2018, Dr. Caban-Martinez and Dr. Schaefer-Solle referred to several important websites. The first is http://per.miami.edu. The name is for Personal Exposure Reporter. This app allows you to keep track of any dangerous encounter that you have had as a firefighter, where you believe you were exposed to toxins or carcinogenic by-products. And you can utilize this app even if you change the department you work for! This way, you will always have your history at your fingertips, in the event that you have a health emergency wherein the data may be beneficial to your treatment.
The second website is http://ffccs.org. This the the National Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study. Established in July 2016, this three-year FEMA-funded research project will develop and test a framework for establishing a long-term firefighter multi-center prospective cohort study focused on carcinogenic exposures and health effects.
The third website is http://SylvesterNewBadgeofHonor.com. This is the Firefighter Cancer Initiative Education Campaign. The Firefighter Cancer Initiative is funded by the State of Florida and led by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. The Education Campaign is one component of the initiative and is led by the Center for Communication, Culture, and Change in the School of Communication at the University of Miami.
The second website is http://ffccs.org. This the the National Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study. Established in July 2016, this three-year FEMA-funded research project will develop and test a framework for establishing a long-term firefighter multi-center prospective cohort study focused on carcinogenic exposures and health effects.
The third website is http://SylvesterNewBadgeofHonor.com. This is the Firefighter Cancer Initiative Education Campaign. The Firefighter Cancer Initiative is funded by the State of Florida and led by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. The Education Campaign is one component of the initiative and is led by the Center for Communication, Culture, and Change in the School of Communication at the University of Miami.