GLENDALE, Ariz. — Firefighters are facing a different type of danger before heading ever heading into a burning building. The Center for Disease Control found that cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters.
The disease now accounts for more than 75% of line-of-duty deaths added to the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor each year. That's according to the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF). Between 2015 and 2020, firefighters added to the IAFF Fallen Memorial died from cancers associated with the job.
Catching cancer early
Glendale Fire is looking to put out the flames of cancer before they spread.
A new grant through the Department of Homeland Security will allow the more than 250 members of the Glendale Fire Department to be tested and screened at ZERO cost to them.
“It’s incredibly shocking,” said radiation oncologist, Dr. Vershalee Shukla.
Dr. Shukla is co-founder of the Vincere Cancer Center. In three years, she's worked with other valley cities screening firefighters for various forms of cancer using the Galleria multi-cancer early detection test, covering more than 50 types of cancer through a simple blood draw.
So far, she's discovered 90 cancer patients among 800 firefighters in the Valley.
“One thing is the number, but also the age that I caught them at," said Dr. Shukla. "A lot of them are in their 30s and 40s which we don’t see in the average population.”
A legacy of fighting fire and now fighting more than flames
Glendale Fire Captain Ashley Losch has been putting out fires for more than two decades, first getting into the department because of her mentor Captain Kevin Thompson.
“I met with him at this fire station 22 years ago and said I want to be a Glendale firefighter,” said Captain Losch.
Two years ago, Thompson was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer common among 9/11 first responders.
“You hear a lot that people in the general public that cancer is everywhere, and it absolutely is, but what we are recognizing for us as firefighters is that this is a risk, we are taking that we didn’t know was here,” said Captain Losch.
Why are firefighters being diagnosed early with cancer?
“The composite materials that we are fighting in fires are completely different than they were years ago. They used to be natural like cotton and wood," said Captain Losch. "Now we’re looking at plastics and synthetics that when they burn, they burn as a carcinogen, so we’re exposed to so many more things that are harmful to us.”
This is why Glendale's program helps save lives and catch the flames of cancer before it spreads.
“We take part in treatment and prevention so that the future generations of this incredible career are safe,” said Captain Losch.
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