Firefighters battle for occupational cancer benefits
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) Cancer caused 66-percent of career firefighter line of duty deaths nationwide between 2002 and 2019 according to data from the International Association of Fire Fighters.
The reason why is the focus of News 13’s Deadlier than Fire series and documentary following several firefighters through their cancer battle.
At least 257 North Carolina firefighters from 77 departments have been diagnosed with cancer over the last decade according to a 2020 Health and Safety Survey done by the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs. Right now, the biggest battle is a lack of data and how to account for whether the job is putting firefighters at a greater risk. That’s slowly changing as states including North Carolina recognize collecting data concerning cancer cases among firefighters and conducting better research are the only way to better understand what appear to be increasing cases.