January is Cancer Awareness Month, making it an ideal time to take a hard look at how the fire service addresses one of its most serious and long-term threats: occupational cancer.
Awareness alone is not enough.
We must move from awareness to action, and leadership plays a critical role.
If we truly want to reduce cancer risk among firefighters, the conversation must include leadership and the implementation of proven (research-based) best practices. Moving a fire department forward begins with strong, engaged leadership, including how we manage the health risks our members face throughout their careers.
Understanding the Scope of the Risk
The increased cancer risk facing firefighters is real. Decades of research have clearly demonstrated higher rates of certain cancers compared to the general population. Exposure to carcinogens occurs on the fireground, during overhaul, in the firehouse, and through contaminated gear and apparatus. We know the risks exist. The more important – and more uncomfortable – question is this:
What are we doing, as leaders, to minimize that risk?
Cancer prevention requires intentional leadership, consistent messaging, and organizational commitment. Leaders set the tone for what matters.
Leadership matters.
Leadership’s Influence on Daily Behaviors
When officers prioritize clean gear and proper PPE use, those behaviors become the standard. When they don’t, they become ineffective policies that no one follows, and risk increases. Leadership owes it to their firefighters to have realistic policies that account for the firefighters’ health. Likewise, they owe it to their firefighters to enforce compliance. Leadership must not simply hope for compliance; it is about reinforcing expectations through example, education, and accountability.
Unfortunately, leadership in this area too often falls short. Many departments acknowledge the cancer problem “in theory,” yet fail to act with urgency in practice. Leaders may support cancer prevention “in principle” but hesitate when it requires funding, time, or cultural change. In some cases, the issue is quietly deprioritized in favor of more immediate operational concerns. When that happens, leadership is effectively asleep at the wheel, aware of the danger yet failing to intervene.
True leaders move beyond awareness to ensure action. That means investing in proper PPE and ensuring it is worn correctly and consistently. It means implementing and enforcing decontamination procedures after fires. It also means educating members about cumulative exposure and the long-term consequences of today’s decisions.
Perhaps most importantly, leaders must address the culture of the fire service. We must foster a culture that values health, longevity, and professionalism alongside operational excellence. Pride in the job is essential, but it cannot come at the expense of ignoring preventable risks. Leaders play a critical role in changing this narrative. (More on this in my next article on changing behaviors as culture drives behavior).
Embedding Cancer Prevention Into the Profession
When company officers and chief officers model cancer-prevention behaviors, they send a powerful message: protecting your health is part of being a professional firefighter.
Cancer prevention is not a one-time initiative or a January talking point. It must be embedded into daily operations, training, and decision-making. The same discipline we apply to firefighter safety on the fireground must be applied to long-term health risks. Leadership demands that we look beyond today’s alarm and consider the cumulative impact of a career spent in this profession.
If we truly value our members, then reducing cancer risk must be a leadership priority, every day, not just during Cancer Awareness Month. Awareness starts the conversation, but leadership determines whether meaningful change follows.
