National Firefighter Registry for Cancer
Firefighting is a dangerous job. Beyond the immediate risks of injury, heat stress, sleep disruption, and psychological strain, fire fighters are exposed to toxic smoke, combustion byproducts, and chemicals on nearly every call. Increasingly, members are also responding to disasters like floods and wildfires, which bring additional exposure to cancer-causing substances. Studies consistently show that fire fighters face higher rates of certain cancers than the general public.
The evidence is clear, but more must be done to understand the full scope of cancer risk in our profession. That’s why the U.S. Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer.
The NFR for Cancer is a voluntary registry open to every fire fighter in the United States – not just those with cancer. Led by the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), this effort is the most ambitious undertaking ever in our country to track and better understand cancer in the fire service.
What are the goals of the NFR?
With broad participation, the NFR for Cancer will:
- Track cancer diagnoses (including rare types of cancer) among fire fighters throughout the U.S.
- Compare cancer risk among different groups of fire fighters
- Evaluate how exposures – including those during disaster responses – relate to fire fighters’ cancer risk
- Examine how control interventions relate to cancer risk
- Measure whether fire fighters’ risks for various cancers are changing over time
Who can sign up?
Participation is voluntary, but the IAFF encourages every fire fighter to take part in this critically important program. Enrollment is open to all career and volunteer U.S. fire fighters.
Just as important as those with a diagnosis are fire fighters without cancer. Their involvement helps researchers understand why some develop the disease and others do not.
Protecting the health and safety of our members has always been the IAFF’s mission. Cancer is now the leading cause of death among fire fighters. Only through efforts like the NFR for Cancer will we gain the knowledge needed to change that reality.
Want to know more?
Capt. Kenny Fent, Ph.D., CIH, manager of the Firefighter Health Program at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), fact-checks common misconceptions about the program and shares the importance of the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer.