Columbus (IN) firefighters will be easy to spot this October as they trade in their blue uniform shirt for a bright pink shirt. Columbus firefighters are wearing “Firefighters For A Cure” pink T-shirts through the month of October in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is the first time City of Columbus firefighters have donned the pink shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness month, joining fire departments from all across the country.
The T-shirts were designed by Hoosier Sporting Goods of Columbus. Two T-shirts designs were created for Columbus Fire Department. One design is for the firefighters and the second design is for family members of firefighters. “Our Department has been affected by various types of cancer and we wanted to join the fight to raise awareness,” said Battalion Chief Mark Ziegler, who orchestrated the pink shirt project.
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According to a multi-year study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), firefighters, on average, have a higher risk of certain types of cancer compared to the general population. (Source: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pgms/worknotify/pdfs/ff-cancer-factsheet-final.pdf)
Firefighters will have the option to wear the “Firefighters for a Cure” pink shirt throughout the month of October.
Mike Wilson is a captain and spokesman for the Columbus (IN) Fire Department.
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