When firefighters run into a burning building it isn't the flames that are most dangerous it's the smoke.
The International Fire Association has deemed every house fire a hazardous material incident because of the increasing levels of hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. “Right now cancer is the number one killer of firefighters in America,” said Curtis Dunn with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
Dunn says firefighters are two times more likely to develop certain cancers. A statistic all too real for Green Bay Metro Fire Captain Todd Gurtz, “It was stage 4; it was in my pelvis and my lungs."
Gurtz was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2007. After aggressive treatments and surgery Gurtz has been cancer free for nearly 10 years. “I’m thankful, I’m still here.”
Green bay Metro Fire Department is taking steps to protect it's crews. Firefighters now wear air packs for even small car or garbage fires and anytime crews are at the scene where air is unsafe. "It only takes to know somebody who's going through cancer treatment to watch the pain and anguish and difficulty of that to really know that we've got to do better," said Green Bay Metro Fire Department Chief Litton.
To demonstrate the risk, Green Bay Metro Fire Department held a training exercise in their burn tower. Although only wood and hay were burning the HCN levels rose quickly to three times the levels recommended by OSHA for an eight hour work day.
“We are never going to eliminate the exposure to cancer causing toxins. It's the nature of our job but we can do things to help eliminate the length of the exposure," said Litton.
Firefighter turnout gear offers some protection but it has vulnerable areas like the hood. The hood covers the head and neck an area the Firefighters Cancer Support Network says is more permeable then other portions of the body. Not to mention, absorption increases 400% for every 5 degrees in skin temperature.
“It's not so much that one acute incident it's the chronic exposure over and over again over a 30 year career that manifests itself, "said Litton.
Chief Litton implemented a new rehab program; requiring firefighters take off their turnout gear and wipe down immediately after leaving the frontline. The Firefighter Cancer Support Network says that can take away 80 percent of the carcinogens.
Each Green Bay Metro Fire Station also is equipped with industrial washers and dryers for gear to be washed thoroughly. "We never washed out gear. We never took a shower. We'd go home the next day and take a shower and you could smell all the stuff coming off your skin.” said Chief Litton.
Education and awareness playing the biggest role in helping change the culture now firefighters are also asked never to bring their gear into living quarters or leave it in cars.
Gurtz says his message to new firefighters is to take care of themselves “When you’re young you do feel invincible and at this point in my career I know I'm not.”
