Watertown tackles firefighter cancer

When Robert “Bob” Quinn became Watertown’s fire chief last year, he said cancer prevention would be a priority during his tenure.

Quinn’s appointment came after the death of the town’s former fire chief, Mario Orangio, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2017. Quinn believes Orangio’s cancer was occupationally linked.

Cancer is an occupational hazard for firefighters. Research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health showed that the firefighters in their study faced a nine percent increase in cancer diagnoses, and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths, compared to the general population in the U.S.

On the job, firefighters are often exposed to fumes and debris that contain carcinogens like benzene, asbestos, arsenic, and formaldehyde. According to the National Fire Protection Association, these carcinogens contaminate firefighter gear which, in turn, contaminates anything it comes into contact with, including skin.

Absorbing or inhaling these toxins can increase a person’s cancer risk. Ensuring firefighters wear clean gear is one way to lower this risk.

This article was originally published in the Watertown TAB September 13, 2019. Read the full story here: https://watertown.wickedlocal.com/news/20190913/watertown-tackles-firefighter-cancer