Firefighters are 2.2 times more likely to develop testicular cancer than the general population. They are also 1.5 times more likely to develop multiple myeloma and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The list of cancers they are more likely to develop continues and it’s staggering. Turnout gear can hold multiple types of carcinogens when it is not properly laundered and dried.

The Firefighters Cancer Problem

Every firefighter is exposed to harmful cancer causing carcinogens at some point in their careers. Cancer is the most dangerous and unrecognized health and safety threat to this nation’s firefighters. Multiple credible studies have shown that firefighters are in fact much more likely to get multiple different types of cancer compared to everyday citizens. Firefighters are more likely to get testicular cancer, multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, skin cancer, prostate cancer, malignant melanoma, brain cancer, colon cancer, leukemia and breast cancer in women. These cancers are then inhaled and absorbed through the skin every time a firefighter does not properly decontaminate their turnout gear.

The magnitude of this issue is much larger than originally thought. There needs to be initiatives taken in education, training, operations, medical screenings and personal accountability to address cancer in the fire service. We also need to take notice of the signs of firefighter’s exposure to harmful carcinogens. One sign is that many times you see firefighters with SCBA on their backs but no masks on their faces. Another big sign is that firefighters will still wear their dirty and contaminated turnout gear. Also, many firefighters only have one set of gear that they get re-contaminated constantly. Dry Gear Solutions PPE Gear Dryers are built to mitigate these signs and therefore mitigate the cancer likelihood for firefighters.

How Dry Gear Helps

Dry Gear Solutions can help firefighters in their effort to mitigate cancer as much as possible. If you properly launder and dry your firefighter’s gear, it will reduce the contaminants from the outgassing of material in a fire. It will also reduce the amount of chemicals and petrochemicals that you are exposed to in industrial and rescue situations. Dry Gear’s drying system, equipped with forced ambient or warmed air, allows you to properly care for and maintain your turnout gear. It is proven to work and complies with NFPA 1851 guideline to help keep firefighters safe and healthy. Having wet gear in any circumstance or gear that isn’t properly cleaned and dried can lead to serious health problems for firefighters. Dry Gear’s products ensure that it will fully dry your gear, boots and helmets to help mitigate the possible cancers associated with firefighting.