According to a report from KCCI, some fire departments on the state of Iowa are working to protect their members from cancer, the leading cause of death among firefighters.
January has been denoted as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month. The International Association of Fire Fighters says 65 percent of members’ names added to their Memorial Wall of Honor are those who have passed away from occupational cancer.
The Des Moines (IA) Fire Department (DMFD) is investing to keep its members from being added to the IAFF’s wall.
Station 11 was built specifically to reduce some cancer-causing effects. For example, the garage bay is completely separated from the living quarters through its ventilation system. In older stations, the fumes from the trucks flow out of the massive garage and through the rest of the building.
DMFD firefighters said there are some circumstances where an apparatus exhaust pipe could be running just a few feet away from an open door leading to their bedrooms, so they feel gratitude that their workspace is becoming a safer environment.
Station 11 also features an improved alarm system made to wake sleeping firefighters in a healthier way. Studies show that sudden loud noises going off while in a deep sleep state can lead to health issues later in life.
RELATED
