By Steven Lee<\/p>\n
Firefighting is classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Occupational cancer has become the leading cause of death among firefighters. Studies have shown that firefighters face a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general U.S. population.<\/p>\n
And cancer is a big concern for firefighters across San Antonio. Within the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD), more than 70 firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer in the past 10 years \u2014 from leukemia to multiple myeloma and cancers of the brain, thyroid, colon, prostate and testicles. Many cases also go unreported.<\/p>\n
To help reduce the cancer risk among firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, SAFD, UT Health San Antonio and Sylvester\u2019s Firefighter Cancer Initiative at the University of Miami have partnered to launch the San Antonio Firefighters Cancer Prevention Program. The program aims to better understand and reduce the burden of cancer among local first responders.<\/p>\n
SAFD, which includes more than 1,800 fire and emergency personnel serving a population of over 1.4 million residents, created its Occupational Cancer Committee to address the issue. In 2024, the committee began working with UT Health San Antonio\u2019s Institute for Health Promotion Research and its Mays Cancer Center\u2019s community outreach and engagement team. Together, they also partnered with Sylvester\u2019s Firefighter Cancer Initiative, which began in 2015. Now, the San Antonio Firefighters Cancer Prevention Program has started work.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur UT Health San Antonio team is already connecting with firefighters by sharing educational resources at SAFD health fairs,\u201d said Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, MPH, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and associate director of community outreach and engagement at Mays Cancer Center. The program has also initiated an immediate response system with the Mays Cancer Center to provide cancer care referrals to firefighters who receive a cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is to strengthen cancer prevention, education and expert care for the incredible firefighters and emergency responders who dedicate their lives to protecting our community,\u201d Ramirez said.<\/p>\n
Among the activities being explored through the program:<\/p>\n
Ramirez said collaborators are unified in the goal to boost the well-being of local safety personnel.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirefighters dedicate their service and their lives to protect us. We should work just as hard to reduce
\nand prevent cancer within the firefighter community,\u201d Ramirez said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Steven Lee Firefighting is classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Occupational cancer has become the leading cause of death among firefighters. Studies have shown that firefighters face a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":653,"featured_media":2884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"magazine":[22],"issue-year":[79],"featured-story":[],"class_list":["post-2883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","magazine-cancer-center","issue-year-79"],"yoast_head":"\n