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Towards a National Firefighter Cancer Framework: Building out the Awareness, Prevention, and Access to Care Puzzle

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” appears frequently on firefighter memorials around the world. This is the love of firefighters; friends to those in need.  In their effort to protect people, property, and the environment, firefighters are exposed to carcinogens.  Unfortunately, too many firefighters have been afflicted. Fortunately, action is being taken.

This report is a response to an invitation from Health Canada to help inform the National Fire Firefighter Cancer Framework which the Minister of Health is asked to present in the House of Commons in October, in accordance with Bill C-224, An Act to establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting which passed into legislation last summer.

The report is based on workshops where speakers and members of the fire service from all types of fire departments, wildland agencies, firefighting schools, and industry reflected on five topics: What is the lived experience of firefighter cancer and what can we do to improve it? What are best practices that help the sector take care of its own and where are the gaps? What are the perspectives from provinces and payers, on prevention and presumptive legislation? What do we know about gear and firefighter cancer, and how do we talk to our doctors, health systems, and researchers about this crucial and tragic issue? The discussants helped stimulate the conversations, but the recommendations came from many sources.

We were honoured to have the participation of colleagues from the wildfire sector, including representatives from Canadian Wildfire Management Agencies and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), from Indigenous Communities and the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC), volunteer, career and composite departments, firefighting schools, standards organizations, granting agencies, physicians, researchers, and industry. We thank them for sharing their voice with us. We may all be different in the fire sector, but we are better together. 

We would also like to thank our colleagues at Health Canada, the CAFC Cancer Committee, our Chair Graham Pawlett whose vision was to see this committee established and conditions for all firefighters improved. Our thanks to CAFC staff who organized the sessions and to Zoe Boicescu and Tina Saryeddine who held the pen. Questions or comments may be directed to our Executive Director Tina Saryeddine at tsaryeddine@cafc.ca. 

Finally, for many, this report is deeply personal. It is written in honour of those who have been afflicted by firefighter cancer. We dedicate this report to them. They are our inspiration for a better future. 

Download the report

View the Building out the Firefighter Cancer Awareness, Prevention, and Access to Care Puzzle Workshops here