Firefighter safety stand-down to focus on preventing work-related cancer

Greenbelt, MD — The theme for the 2019 Firefighter Safety Stand Down is Reduce Your Exposure: It’s Everybody’s Responsibility, with a focus on increasing awareness of on-the-job cancer risks among firefighters and emergency medical services workers.

Coordinated by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Volunteer Fire Council, and scheduled to take place June 16-22, the stand-down also aims to call attention to best practices included in the Lavender Ribbon Report, which was released in August.

All fire and EMS departments are encouraged to pause non-emergency activities during the stand-down and educate workers on topics related to this year’s theme.

“Firefighters face many health risks, but cancer has emerged as one of the most prominent concerns,” NVFC states in a March 5 press release. “Safety Stand Down resources and materials emphasize the importance of firefighters educating themselves, their physicians and their co-workers about job-related risks; point first responders to the latest information on exposure to carcinogens, including how to limit exposure; and provide best practices and resources regarding reducing the risk of cancer to firefighters.”

The National Fire Protection Association will be conducting an online quiz, with participants receiving automatic entry into a sweepstakes.