Veuillez appuyer ici pour la version en français.

The CAFC Cancer Prevention committee is pleased to continue to provide departments with resources to help increase awareness of cancer prevention. If you have a resource you would like shared, please contact info@cafc.ca.

Remarks from the Minister of Health on the Occasion of Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month: View the remarks here

Building out the Firefighter Cancer Awareness, Prevention, and Access to Care Puzzle Workshop Recordings

The enactment of Bill C-224, A National Framework on Cancers Linked to Firefighting provides for the development of a national framework designed to raise awareness of cancers linked to firefighting with the goal of improving access for firefighters to cancer prevention and treatment.

To help inform this framework and share knowledge, members of the fire service and policy leaders were invited to partake in one or more of a series of 5 virtual workshops, which took place on December 7th and 8th, 2023. The workshops are being summarized into a report that will help to build out the firefighter cancer framework required in Bill C-224.

The sessions were also recorded and are available for viewing here. They cover topics from lived experience, to PPE and standards, talking to physicians and researchers, presumptive legislation, prevention and more

Read more about Bill C-224 here.

Presumptive Illness Chart by province/territory

Some firefighter cancers are recognized as presumptive (associated with the profession) in all provinces and territories. However, different firefighter cancers are recognized in different jurisdictions.

Proposed Resolution: National Recognition of Presumptive Cancers

The CAFC Cancer committee is considering advancing the following resolution at the 2023 Annual General Meeting. We would love to know what you think. You will find the resolution below, and can weight in here.

Whereas Cancer as a disease, evidence as a domain, and firefighters as individuals are consistent across jurisdictions. And whereas each province/territory already conducts its due diligence to recognize presumptive cancers. Therefore be it resolved that a presumptive cancer recognized in one province or territory be recognized in all provinces or territories.

IARC World Cancer report: this report produced by world class researchers reviews the evidence and reclassifies firefighting as a top tier most carcinogenic profession. Firefighters have known this for a long time. However, this research now puts the onus on government, department and policy leaders to ensure that we have the best information, equipment and training to keep firefighters safe. The CAFC Cancer Prevention committee will be leading CAFC's activities and partnerships in this regard. 

Meet some Canadian Researchers

• Take a look at some of the research Canadian Researchers are doing in the Fire Research Roster.

IAFF Firefighter Cancer Support Network: Our friends and colleagues at the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) have provided substantial leadership in the domain of firefighter cancer. They share their resources freely and broadly. We encourage you to check our their resources. 

Provincial Resources:

Did you know that many of the national advisory council member organizations and several individual fire departments and related organizations have wonderful firefighter cancer materials? You can find some of them here. If you would like to add a resource, just let us know at info@cafc.ca. 

• Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic cancer video on occupational hygiene
• British Columbia PFFA letter to physicians
• BC Fire Chiefs Association letter
• Worksafe Saskatchewan: How Firefighters can cut their cancer risk
• Cancer Care Ontario
• Ontario Firefighter Cancer Checklist
• Spray Procedure for gross Decontamination - Edmonton
• AQSICQ - firefighter Cancer Video (French)
• Firefighter Cancer Best Practices - Newfoundland & Labrador

Other Resources:

• Detect Together
  
• Dr. Kenneth Kunz Cancer in Female Firefighters
• Firefighter and pancreatic cancer

• Firefighting and Pancreatic Cancer: What you need to know

• Firefighters and Asbestos Exposure

• Epithelioid Mesothelioma

   

Firefighter Cancer Prevention Program

With thanks to a partnership with researchers, funding from the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), the CAFC is inviting all Fire Departments to partake in a nationwide test of firefighter cancer prevention information.

Volunteer departments that partake will be asked to reflect on a set of cancer prevention behaviours in two different and randomly assigned formats:

1. A 90second firefighter cancer email letter which will be delivered to your departments' firefighters twice a week, on different but related decontamination practices. They include calls to action, a personal story, a self-assessment, webinars and a chat room. 


2. The second format is a questionnaire with practices that will ask firefighters to rate agreement, behaviour, intention and barriers for each. They will receive the 90 second cancer letters and items above at a later date. 

To recognize volunteer firefighters' time and participation, they will receive a $60 gift certificate.

Career and composite departments wishing to partake will be provided with the questionnaire that will ask firefighters to rate agreement, behaviour, intention, and barriers for each. 

This work is led by both a research team, headed by Dr. Patrick McGrath at the IWK Health Centre and the CAFC cancer Committee, led by NAC members Graham Pawlett.

Click here for more information.

If you have any questions, please reach our to our Manager of Membership Services and Special Projects, Ms. Anabel Therrien at atherrien@cafc.ca.