Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month - Closing Pledge
Jan 29, 2021
IAFF FFCAM - END OF MONTH: Closing Pledge!
The IAFF and FCSN’s first Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month has ended, but our work is far from over. We encourage those who were not able to commit to safety stand downs in the month of January to schedule one (or more).
To further solidify your ongoing commitment to the prevention of fire fighter occupational cancer, we invite you to sign the online pledge and encourage you to use the Reason for Signing section to honor those we have lost to – or are currently fighting – occupational cancer.
Use the I Took the Pledge Photo as your Facebook profile picture or as a post on instagram or Twitter with the link to our pledge site to encourage others to sign the pledge!
Fire fighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. In 2019, more than 75% of the names of fire fighters added to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were of members who died from occupational cancer.
In partnership with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), the IAFF has designated January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments.
Bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters. #FFCancerMonth#FightFFCancerhttps://www.iaff.org/cancer-awareness...
WEEK 4: Leadership, Survivorship and Culture Change
We are rounding the final corner of this year’s IAFF/FCSN Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. We are focusing on leadership and survivorship this week with an emphasis on the need for a culture change.
Leadership is a critical element for any department's health and safety initiatives to taken seriously and to be successful. There is zero additional costs for a department to have for great leadership for health and safety. Leadership is also not rank specific. Any member of this organization can display great leadership when it comes to health and safety. There are some great leadership resources and principles in this week’s information.
Survivorship is about how to help a member who comes to you with a cancer diagnosis. Having a plan for how to support one of your members is critical for their successfully battling this terrible disease. Even if you don’t know the path to send them on, or what support exists for your member, but displaying supportive confidence and knowing where to look for help is paramount in supporting your folks. There is great resources and information regarding how to do this!
The need to change the culture is clear but is undoubtedly the most difficult to accomplish. Our culture runs pretty deep! We have to change our values, beliefs, and vision before a culture changes like it’s ‘just how we do it’. There is great information on why we need to change the culture, but it takes you to actually take the steps to change it in yourself and those who you work beside.
Finally, next week we will roll out the pledge. It is an online pledge to look out for your health, to be here for your family, and to care for your fellow firefighters. Be on the lookout for this and make sure you “Take the Pledge”! #FFCancerMonth#FightFFCancer
WEEK 3: Prevention, Education and Best Practices Turn knowledge into action.
Cancer is a big issue facing the fire service, but you can prevent or limit your exposure to carcinogens. This week addresses best practices that should be followed on the fire ground, at the station and in your personal lives. They include on-scene gross decontamination, clean cab concept and modifiable risk factors. To get the most from this week, we recommend taking one day this week and conduct a Safety Stand Down. All resources are also available to review at your convenience Fire fighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. In 2019, more than 75% of the names of fire fighters added to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were of members who died from occupational cancer. In partnership with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), the IAFF has designated January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments. Bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters. #FFCancerMonth#FightFFCancer
WEEK 2 - Scientific Research Related to Occupational Cancer
With an understanding of cancer in the fire service, use this week to explore scientific research that identifies the link between occupational exposures and cancer rates among fire fighters. Additionally, this week looks at research on screening for cancer and exposure routes. To get the most from this week, we recommend taking one day this week to conduct a Safety Stand Down. All resources are also available to review at your convenience. Fire fighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. In 2019, more than 75% of the names of fire fighters added to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were of members who died from occupational cancer. In partnership with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), the IAFF has designated January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments. Bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters. #FFCancerMonth#FightFFCancer; www.iaff.org/cancer-awareness-month
January is Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month https://www.iaff.org/cancer-awareness... Fire fighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. In 2019, more than 75% of the names of fire fighters added to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were of members who died from occupational cancer. In partnership with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), the IAFF has designated January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments. Bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters. #FFCancerMonth#FightFFCancer
