WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Firefighters have always risked their lives battling blazes. But these days, they’re fighting something even more dangerous, cancer.
“The risk that nobody talks about is the cancer,” said Assistant Chief Travis Temarantz of the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department. “The carcinogens, the smoke, the soot, the diesel exhaust, all of that contributes to our increased risk of cancer.”
“We’re seeing about one line-of-duty death related to occupational cancer every day,” explained Captain Matt Stephenson. “So it’s really starting to become more than just a buzzword. People are starting to understand that we’re having a serious issue in the fire service with cancer.”
Because of these elevated risks, firefighters are encouraged to begin cancer screenings roughly ten years earlier than the general population.
On Tuesday, the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department hosted its first-ever in-house cancer screening. The screening was open to both active and retired firefighters.
“It’s important across the board to get people screened and understand what’s causing this,” Stephenson added.
“We want to change the culture of the fire service, not just in Wilkes-Barre, but across the country,” said Chief Jay Delaney. “We need to change how we handle turnout gear, use the science and education we’re receiving, and make sure the next generation of firefighters stays safe and reduces their cancer risk.”
Assistant Chief Temarantz has spent years working to bring cancer screenings to the city. For him, this is just the beginning.
“There are a lot of little pieces making up the big picture,” Temarantz said. “But we’re starting to chip away at the issues we face.”
