Last Call Foundation in memory of my son Firefighter Michael Kennedy is working to shine a light on the safety issues firefighters face on the job that the public is unaware of. Visit our web site for more information www.lastcallfoundation.org
Fire Hose
Most of us were unaware that fire hose currently used across the country is not fire proof or even fire resistant. In fact as the on going study LCF funded at WPI Fire Engineering Program recently uncovered, fire hose fire resistance qualities have not been improved on in over 100 years. NFPA 1961 established a single thermal testing criteria which it would appear has served to suppress inovation. Not surprisingly research and development dollars have not been spent on this critical issue, hose manufacturers are well aware fire departments across the country are grossly underfunded and cannot afford to purchase supperior products. Clearly with todays (and yesterdays) technologies fireproofing can and should be applied and required for fire attack hose.
Cancer in the Fire Service.
I was shocked to discover that despite all the scientific studies the Federal Fire Administration does not consider firefighter cancer to be job related. Because of this the NFPA cancer related death reports are horribly skewed. NFPA simply reports statistics from the Federal Fire Administration. Sadly 14 states have failed to recognize cancer as job related. Disgracefully many states that do have cancer presumptive laws have failed to fund them! Using figures provided by the IAFF and the Firefighters Cancer Network which are far more accurate, I was shocked to discover that 60% of career firefighters (I have been unable to find studies of volunteer firefighters) will be diagnosed with some form of cancer over the course of their careers. In the city of Boston this number jumps to 67%. I don’t believe there is another profession where this would be tolerated. Last Call Foundation is currently joining forces with Dr. Michael Hamrock and the PFFM to bring the very successful award winning Cancer Awareness and Prevention Program created by the Boston Fire Department state wide. We are going to provide every firefighter in Massachusetts access to this critically important program.
One of the obvious every day exposures to cancer causing agents is the gear meant to protect firefighters, after a fire, bunker gear can be laden with carcinogens. Touching and breathing in the air borne particles is an everyday occurrence. Last Call Foundation is working to provide every City of Boston firehouse with an industrial washer for decontamination of bunker gear. This critical and basic need is unfunded in most fire districts.
Lack of Funding
The deplorable conditions of many firehouses would not be tolerated in any other profession. Old is not necessarily bad if properly maintained and periodically updated. Regrettably constant budget cuts and deferred maintance have put firehouses across the state in such poor repair that many would and should be condemned if required to meet the same standards and building codes as every other building in the state. (Why aren’t they?)
Politicians are empowered to allocate tax dollars, human nature being what it is, if election support is missing or personalities get in the way, whole departments suffer gross underfunding. As a result the fire service infrastructure is quite literally crumbling.
It is time for a fire service direct funding source that has no political affiliation.
FYI – the cost of treatment for one firefighter with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma – one of the cancers firefighters are commonly diagnosed with, is $ 800,000 the first year and upwards of $ 1,000,000 the second year, the individual prognosis determines treatments and costs from there. Added to that the cost of sick pay, replacement personnel…
judy-meredith says
It’s not easy for any of us who love a first responder to get a phone call in the middle of the night to tell you someone you love dearly has been injured in a fire, or an exchange of gun fire and you should come to the hospital right away. It’s even worse when a delegation of your loved one’s colleagues knocks on your front door and tell you they are dead.
What do you do? Some of us rage and scream and take a long time to heal enough to be able to function as a fairly normal parent, neighbor, child of elderly parents, member of society and finally begin to search around for something positive to do that will help other first responders. .
Last Call Foundation was founded by another mother, a sister a lover of a young firefighter who died fighting at fire and they have a solid, specific doable plan of action for those of us that love firefighters. It’s a great website – check it out and sign up to help and contribute if you can. I am the daughter of a firefighter and the mother of a police officer and I’m sighing up.
justice4all22 says
From the wife of a firefighter…thanks for caring. 🙂