Did you know? The rate of line-of-duty deaths from cancer-related illness is rapidly increasing and is on pace to overtake cardiac disease as the leading killer of firefighters nationwide. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 68 percent of all firefighters will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes.

This is a sad reality for Minnesota’s firefighters, but thankfully, there are steps you can take to detect cancer in its early stages. One of the most impactful ways to mitigate your risk of cancer is to get an annual physical exam. While getting your exam, tell your provider that you are, or have been, a firefighter.

After you’ve shared that information with them, they will likely give you the following screenings:

• A comprehensive physical assessment
• Laboratory testing including blood tests and urinalysis
• A pulmonary function test
• Imaging such as chest x-ray (every 5 years) or low dose CT scan
• Cancer screenings for early detection of prostate, cervical, colorectal, breast and lung cancer.

All of these screenings can truly be life-saving as they can help detect cancer before it escalates. Some fire departments even offer free yearly cancer screenings, so it could be worth checking-in with leadership to see if you could get your screenings at the firehouse.

No matter where you get screened for cancer, the important thing is that you do it! And most importantly, tell your firefighting brothers and sisters to do the same.

To learn more about firefighters’ higher risks for cancer – and what can be done to help prevent it – consider enrolling in our cancer deep-dive class. The two-hour class is free until June 2021 and educates firefighters on activities that put them at higher risk for developing cancer, proper PPE strategies for mitigating cancer risks, and what types of screenings can be done to catch cancer early. Register HERE.

By Dr. Margaret Gavian, Medical Director, MnFIRE

Stress, and particularly traumatic stress, is an occupational hazard of being a firefighter.

All first responders have a particularly high exposure rate to traumatic stress inducing incidents. Doing chest compressions on an unconscious child, working to free a mother trapped in her vehicle after a collision, being with someone as they die, or recovering a body from a variety of unpleasant situations, are the daily realities of this job.

Industry leaders agree that being a firefighter today is vastly different than it was in years past; firefighters are being asked to do more with less, and with the net effect being more exposure to traumatic incidents, more stress, and more fatigue. Call volume has increased beyond fighting fire, with more medical and mental health calls, and increased exposure to motor vehicle accidents, violent crime, and medical complexity.

Providing round the clock service, firefighters often witness trauma in a disrupted sleep state, already fatigued. This is true for both career and non-career firefighters. Non career firefighters are often busy serving their community at night, only to have to work their “regular” job during the day while continuing to fulfill their roles as parent, friend and spouse. More than 90 percent of Minnesota’s fire service is non-career.

Support and services available to Minnesota’s 22,000 firefighters is scarce, leaving the burden of care on the individual and resulting in an overall department loss. Additional systemwide solutions are vital to keeping firefighters on the job and able to fulfill their deep commitment to service. They’re also essential to reducing turnover and healthcare costs when stress related disorders become chronic and to alleviating the havoc mental health disorders can wreak on families, children, and generations to come. If we expect firefighters to show up for us on our worst days, it is our responsibility to care and assist them on theirs.

Funding for additional training and development of behavioral health programming is critical. Focus on prevention, education, access to quality services and ongoing support is crucial. Existing mental health awareness training and peer support is a positive start, but so much more is required to provide our firefighters with the internal gear they need to protect themselves from the emotional risks of doing what we ask of them.

Another suicide, broken family or hero suffering in silence is simply unacceptable. We can and must do something before burying another public servant.

Note: This blog post is excerpted from “Beyond the Fire: The Mental & Emotional Cost of Being A Firefighter,” from MnFIRE’s Taking the Lead report. The full article can be found here.

There is a crisis in our fire service – more and more Minnesota firefighters are tragically losing their lives due to cancer, cardiac and emotional trauma issues.

Sadly, this crisis doesn’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon – and with COVID-19, we can only expect it to get worse. Beyond the virus itself, we know COVID-19 is causing Americans to pursue less preventative care, that isolation is exacerbating mental health issues, and that the spike in unemployment means fewer Americans have employer-sponsored health insurance – and we can assume these will have ripple effects when it comes to the health of firefighters.

While the statistics may be grim, here’s the good news: knowing what to look for, methods of prevention, and living a healthy lifestyle, can make a big difference when it comes to your likelihood of experiencing the big three health issues (cancer, cardiac and emotional trauma) for firefighters.

The first step? Signing up to become more become “MnFIRE Aware” of your occupational health risks as soon as possible. Below is some info on MnFIRE’s free training offerings for your department:

MnFire Awareness Training

This training is ideal for departments who have not had previous MnFIRE trainings and is taught by firefighters and other health experts. Thanks to a grant from the Fire Service Advisory Committee (FSAC), this training is being offered both online and in-person at no cost to MN fire departments through June 30, 2021.
Register Now

New! Deep Dive Sessions

These two-hour sessions are catered toward those who have already completed our MnFIRE Awareness Training and want further education on the different health risks facing firefighters. These trainings are available whenever it’s convenient for your department, either in-person or virtually. These classes are tailored to both department leadership, and firefighters themselves.

Cancer Training
More than 68% of firefighters will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes. This tragic reality underscores the critical need for more Minnesota firefighters to be aware of their higher risks for cancer – and what they can do to help prevent it. In our cancer deep-dive class, we’ll educate firefighters on activities that put them at higher risk for developing cancer, proper PPE strategies for mitigating cancer risks, and what types of screenings can be done to catch cancer early.
Register Now

Cardiac Training
After just three hours of fighting fires, firefighters experience hardened arteries and impaired heart function. With that level of health risk, every firefighter deserves to be given the resources needed to protect their cardiovascular health. In this class, we’ll look at heightened risk factors, the types of cardiovascular diseases that most commonly impact firefighters, and prevention strategies to help firefighters lessen their risk.
Register Now

Emotional Wellness Training
The emotional and disturbing calls we go on can stick with us – and it’s important to recognize how the stresses of the job can negatively impact our mental health. Sadly, too many in the fire service are ashamed or afraid to ask for the help they need. This class will help de-stigmatize talking about mental health in your department, as well as provide practical information around how to properly debrief after a difficult call with your team, ways to maintain emotional well-being and what resources are available for those who need help.
Register Now

Firefighters experience higher rates of certain types of diagnoses and cancer-related deaths compared to the general U.S. population, according to a multi-year study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 68% of firefighters will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes.

The rate of line-of-duty deaths from cancer-related illness is rapidly increasing and is on pace to overtake cardiac disease as the leading killer of firefighters nationwide. The most frequently diagnosed cancers in firefighters are found in the digestive, respiratory and urinary systems, as well as orally, including the salivary glands and throat. Specific cancers related to carcinogen exposure – such as malignant mesothelioma – are more than twice as prevalent in firefighters as in the general population. The chance of lung cancer and leukemia diagnoses, and cancer-related death increases with the amount of time spent at fires.

This tragic reality underscores the critical need for more Minnesota firefighters to be aware of their higher risks for cancer – and what they can do to help prevent it.

Why are firefighters at such increased risk for developing cancer?

1. Building and homes contain synthetic and other harmful materials that create more smoke than natural materials – and they release polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), many of which can cause cancer.
2. Firefighters may also encounter other known carcinogens, like asbestos and diesel exhaust, when on the job.
3. Carcinogens are both inhaled and absorbed through the skin. Even when wearing the proper gear, carcinogens can still penetrate the gear and expose the skin.

There are some proven ways firefighters, with the support of their departments, can take to reduce the risk:

1. Change clothes and wash them immediately after exposure to products of combustion or other contaminates. Do this as soon as possible and/or isolate in a trash bag until washing is available.
2. Shower as soon as possible after being exposed to products of combustion or other contaminates.
3. PPE, especially turnout pants, must be prohibited in areas outside the apparatus floor (i.e. kitchen, sleeping areas, etc.) and never in the household.
4. Fully document ALL fire or chemical exposures on incident reports and personal exposure reports.
5. Get an annual physical, as early detection is the key to survival.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to protect yourself and others in your department, consider registering for MnFIRE’s cancer deep-dive class. In it, we’ll educate firefighters on activities that put them at higher risk for developing cancer, proper PPE strategies for mitigating cancer risks, and what types of screenings can be done to catch cancer early.

Cardiovascular disease is the number-one killer of firefighters nationwide and is by far the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service.

According to the International Association of Firefighters, more than 12 percent of all firefighters will develop heart disease at some point in their lives. Even young and healthy firefighters suffer from hardened arteries and impaired heart function after just three hours of prolonged firefighting, according to a 2010 study from the Illinois Fire Service Institute.

So how can you be a more heart-healthy firefighter this year for yourself, your department and your loved ones ? Below are six places to start:

1. Commit to a Healthy Diet

Eating a diet rich in whole foods, lean proteins and vegetables can be one of the biggest influencers on improving your heart health. The first step to pursuing a healthy diet is educating yourself on what constitutes as a healthy dish and how you can prepare it. Check out our Chef Marshall O’Brien trainings for resources that can help you pursue nutrition and that are specifically catered toward firefighters. Finally, explore the tracking applications available on your phone or smart devices that will allow you to document your eating habits, improve portion control and food selections.

2. Get Moving

Working out regularly has so many benefits, but even 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times per week can help you lose weight, improve cholesterol, and even lower your blood pressure substantially. Commit to get moving at least a couple times per week and your heart will thank you. For those who already maintain a physical activity regimen, try incorporating some high intensity interval training that mimics firefighting duties on a weekly basis to improve your readiness for the extreme physical challenge of the job. Strength training is also a critical element of physical readiness for firefighters because muscular fitness and capacity reduces cardiovascular demand.

3. Find Healthy Ways to Manage Your Stress

Traumatic stress can also increase your risk of heart attack. A study from the University of California – San Francisco found that even limited exposure to trauma can boost inflammation in the body, a key risk factor for heart disease. Finding healthy ways to manage your stress and reduce the effects of the trauma firefighters experience everyday will be key to keeping your cardiovascular system strong. Look into methods like meditation, regular exercise or therapy to support your emotional wellness, and ultimately, improve your physical health.

4. Commit to Quit Smoking

With the cardiovascular stress already inflicted on firefighters, smoking can be especially detrimental to your health. The chemicals in cigarettes are proven to cause the cells that line your blood vessels to be swollen and inflamed. This causes the blood vessels to narrow and can result in multiple life-threatening cardiovascular issues, including stroke, coronary heart disease and aortic aneurysms. It’s never too late to quit, and the sooner you do, the better off your heart will be for it. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW and work with a trained coach who can partner with you on a plan to kick the habit.

5. Sleep

Sleep also plays a crucial role in limiting cardiac issues. If firefighters do not get enough quality sleep, resting metabolic rates decrease and cause weight gain, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. It’s critical to maintain work schedules – by providing proper staffing – and allow firefighters to get enough sleep in order to help prevent cardiac disease.

6. Be an Advocate for Heart Health in Your Firehouse

Changing the culture of your firehouse to promote heart health can be helpful not only for your own personal wellness, but also for your firefighting colleagues. Small actions like swapping a donut spread for a healthier alternative, inviting others into fitness challenges, removing ash trays and leading through example can really go a long way in changing your department’s culture toward wellness and heart health.

Minnesota musician Larry Long was inspired to write “Firefighter” – along with Eden Prairie’s retired-fire chief (and current MnFIRE president) George Esbensen – after he accompanied firefighters on a call to a business fire.

“While on that fire run I was so deeply struck by the brave and hardworking people that save our lives daily. The firefighter filled with ‘Duty, Honor, and Courage’ represents everything worth standing up and striving for as a nation,” said Long. “When I discovered the high rate of heart disease, cancer and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among firefighters, I felt the calling to write ‘Firefighter’. For there’s no better time than now to urge policymakers to give all that it might take for us to support the physical and emotional well-being of those who serve us.”

“Firefighter (Duty, Honor, Courage),” was written with MnFIRE as an anthem for the state’s firefighters as the 2020 legislative session begins and the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (SF2264 and HF1782) is up for consideration once again.

Firefighter (Duty, Honor, Courage) Lyrics

Here’s to the people who put out the fires
Fall into line seem never to tire
In helmets of red, white, yellow, and black

When they go in might never come back
Falling in line when danger appears
Giving their life year after year
With a pre-connect as a life line
Never to leave their buddy behind

Duty, Honor, Courage

We are in trouble down here
There’s blood in the dirt
Looking up at the sky
For help on this earth

Friends, neighbors, and family
Heart disease, cancer, PTSD
For firefighters they’re the big three
Burning out the lives we hold dear

Duty, Honor, Courage

We cannot summon the rain
Nor make the wind blow
But we can raise up a fire
There’s no place like home

They say there’s no money it’s really no will
To knock out the demons that so often kills
The firefighter who can’t get no slack
From policymakers who don’t have their back

Duty, Honor, Courage

Firefighter crawling through flames
Firefighter each of whom has a name
Firefighter might be your life they save
Firefighter
Firefighter above a crib
Firefighter now holding him
Firefighter when the candle dims
Firefighter
Firefighter needs somebody who
Firefighter that they can turn to
Firefighter may that someone be you

Words & Music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long Publishing 2020 / BMI

Lyrics written in partnership with Ret. Fire Chief George Esbensen; President of MnFire

Firefighter (Duty, Honor, Courage)
Larry Long & American Roots Revue

Larry Long – Lead Vocal, Acoustic Guitar
J.D. Steele, Robert Robinson, Tonia Hughes – Support Vocals
Billy Steele – Piano
George Parrish – Electric Guitar
Yonathan Bekure – Bass
Daryl Boudreaux – Percussion
Brian Kendrick – Drums
Joe Savage – Pedal Steel

Studio & Mixing Engineers: Steve Wiese & Miles Hanson
Recorded at Creation Audio Studio A; Minneapolis, Minnesota

© all rights reserved

Download the song here:

A lot of people talk about wanting to forget 2020 ever happened, but for MnFIRE, there’s at least one thing created this year we want to keep with us as we move forward: the powerful anthem designed to call attention to our mission.

In January, the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE) and American singer-songwriter Larry Long partnered to release a song that highlights the need to do more to protect the health of Minnesota’s firefighters. The song, called “Firefighter (Duty, Honor, Courage),” was written with MnFIRE as an anthem for the state’s firefighters as the 2020 legislative session kicked off and the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (SF2264 and HF1782) was up for consideration. A few weeks later, Long and the American Roots Revue launched a moving music video for the song, which features real images from some of our state’s largest fire calls in recent years.

With the lyrics, “They say there’s no money it’s really no will//To knock out the demons that so often kills//The firefighter who can’t get no slack//From policymakers who don’t have their back,” the song and video were created with an eye toward Minnesota legislators, who will once again consider a bill in early 2021 that promises real change for firefighters facing these health issues. The Hometown Heroes Assistance Program would establish a much-needed statewide appropriations of funds to help those firefighters facing cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer diagnoses.

Minnesota musician Long – an accomplished troubadour and Smithsonian Folkways recording artist – was inspired to write “Firefighter” – along with MnFIRE president George Esbensen – after he accompanied firefighters on a call to a business fire.

“While on that fire run, I was so deeply struck by the brave and hardworking people that save our lives daily. The firefighter filled with ‘Duty, Honor, and Courage’ represents everything worth standing up and striving for as a nation,” said Long. “When I discovered the high rate of heart disease, cancer and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among firefighters, I felt the calling to write ‘Firefighter.’ For there’s no better time than now to urge policymakers to give all that it might take for us to support the physical and emotional well-being of those who serve us.”

2020 has indeed been a tough year, so if you’re looking for some inspiration and an amazing tribute to our state’s fire service, you can view the video and download a free copy of the song HERE.