Fire fighter Cancer Awareness Month 2025
Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month
Fire fighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service.
Make sure to follow @FCSNNational on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn throughout the month for more resources.
At the 2023 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, almost 66% of the names added to the wall from 2002-2023 were members who had died from occupational cancer.
For 2024, approximately 75% of the Line of duty deaths of IAFF members were from Occupational Cancer.
In Canada, where most provinces and territories have robust presumptive laws, close to 94% of line-of-duty deaths among professional fire fighters are the result of occupational cancers.
In partnership with the IAFF, January is designated as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments.
Canada recognized Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month in 2023 with the adoption of MP Sherry Romanado’s Bill C-224.
Make sure to follow @FCSNNational on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn throughout the month for more resources.
At the 2023 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, almost 66% of the names added to the wall from 2002-2023 were members who had died from occupational cancer.
For 2024, approximately 75% of the Line of duty deaths of IAFF members were from Occupational Cancer.
In Canada, where most provinces and territories have robust presumptive laws, close to 94% of line-of-duty deaths among professional fire fighters are the result of occupational cancers.
In partnership with the IAFF, January is designated as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments.
Canada recognized Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month in 2023 with the adoption of MP Sherry Romanado’s Bill C-224.
Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness month is focusing on “Doing it Right”.The theme coincides with our White Paper “Doing it Right- Reducing cancer in the fire service a groundbreaking resource for firefighters, EMS providers, and their families." Since 2005, FCSN has been a lifeline for thousands of cancer-stricken fire fighters, offering one-on-one mentoring, critical support, and hope when it’s needed most.
Bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters.
Bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters.
Join in the conversation on social media using these hashtags:
#FFCancerMonth #FightFFCancer #DoingItRight
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The content on this website is designed to engage our nation’s fire fighters and their fire departments in a mass effort to prevent and reduce their risk of occupational cancer. Our curriculum contains information and tools that educate fire fighters and raise awareness about why cancer cases are on the rise in the fire service and how to limit their day-to-day exposures to carcinogens.
Each week of the month focuses on a specific theme. Each theme builds upon the previous week’s theme. By the end of the month, fire fighters will have the knowledge and resources to understand how fire fighters are exposed to carcinogens, what happens when they are exposed, how to prevent exposures, make culture changes in their department and assist those who are diagnosed with cancer.
Week 1: Doing It Right: Presumptive laws and coverage with occupational cancer- Week 2: Doing It Right: Battling Reproductive Cancers
- Week 3: Doing It Right: Behavioral Health for Fire Fighters Diagnosed with Cancer
- Week 4: Survivorship, Personal Responsibility and Culture Change
We encourage you to use content from each week to hold weekly a safety stand down in your department. Use the provided tools to engage fire fighters in discussions on steps they can take to reduce the risk of occupational cancer.
The resources for each week include informative factsheets, relevant research, ready-to-present PowerPoint presentations, survivor stories of those who want to share what they have learned to affect change, and social media graphics. It also includes all the information you need to help your department navigate through the content and focus on topics of interest. In addition to weekly content, 33 training briefs can be used as discussion tools to educate fire fighters on reducing the risk of occupational cancer.
Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month takes place in January, but these resources should be used throughout the year. We encourage you to check back frequently for more information about specific topics.
The resources for each week include informative factsheets, relevant research, ready-to-present PowerPoint presentations, survivor stories of those who want to share what they have learned to affect change, and social media graphics. It also includes all the information you need to help your department navigate through the content and focus on topics of interest. In addition to weekly content, 33 training briefs can be used as discussion tools to educate fire fighters on reducing the risk of occupational cancer.
Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month takes place in January, but these resources should be used throughout the year. We encourage you to check back frequently for more information about specific topics.
How To Get Started
How To Get Started:
The content on this website is designed to engage our nation’s firefighters and their fire departments in a mass effort to prevent and reduce their risk of occupational cancer. Our curriculum contains information and tools that educate firefighters and raise awareness about why cancer cases are on the rise in the fire service and how to limit their day-to-day exposures to carcinogens.
Each week of the month focuses on a specific theme. Each theme builds upon the previous week’s theme. By the end of the month, firefighters will have the knowledge and resources to understand how firefighters are exposed to carcinogens, what happens when they are exposed, how to prevent exposures, make culture changes in their department and assist those who are diagnosed with cancer.
Each week of the month focuses on a specific theme. Each theme builds upon the previous week’s theme. By the end of the month, firefighters will have the knowledge and resources to understand how firefighters are exposed to carcinogens, what happens when they are exposed, how to prevent exposures, make culture changes in their department and assist those who are diagnosed with cancer.
- Week 1: Doing It Right: Presumptive laws and coverage with occupational cancer
- Week 2: Doing It Right: Battling Reproductive Cancers
- Week 3: Doing It Right: Behavioral Health for Fire Fighters Diagnosed with Cancer
- Week 4: Survivorship, Personal Responsibility and Culture Change
We encourage you to use content from each week to hold weekly a safety stand down in your department.
Use the provided tools to engage firefighters in discussions on steps they can take to reduce the risk of occupational cancer.
The resources for each week include informative factsheets, relevant research, ready-to-present PowerPoint presentations, survivor stories of those who want to share what they have learned to affect change, and social media graphics. It also includes all the information you need to help your department navigate through the content and focus on topics of interest. In addition to weekly content, 33 training briefs can be used as discussion tools to educate firefighters on reducing the risk of occupational cancer.
Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month takes place in January, but these resources should be used throughout the year. We encourage you to check back frequently for more information about specific topics.
The resources for each week include informative factsheets, relevant research, ready-to-present PowerPoint presentations, survivor stories of those who want to share what they have learned to affect change, and social media graphics. It also includes all the information you need to help your department navigate through the content and focus on topics of interest. In addition to weekly content, 33 training briefs can be used as discussion tools to educate firefighters on reducing the risk of occupational cancer.
Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month takes place in January, but these resources should be used throughout the year. We encourage you to check back frequently for more information about specific topics.
Week 1:Presumptive Laws and Coverage with Occupational Cancer
Week 1: Presumptive Laws and Coverage with Occupational Cancer
The first week of the Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month is about Presumptive Laws and their respective coverages of occupational cancer. Each state is different, and knowing the presumptive laws in your respective state is essential to knowing what you and your brothers and sisters are entitled to. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has created this website outlining each state's laws and coverages for each of their affiliate leaders. Visit the Presumptive Health Initiative page to learn more about your state's presumptive laws.
To get the most from this week, we recommend taking one day this week to review your state's presumptive laws and coverage with your fellow fire fighters.
All resources are also available to review at your convenience.
Spotlight Story
Factsheets:
Call to Action:
Educational Presentation #1:
Note: Make sure you view the presentation in “Presenter Mode” to capture the instructor notes for the slides. (Updated for 2024)
Prevention Practices:
Training Briefs:
Survivor Stories:
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Week 2: Doing It Right: Battling Reproductive Cancers
Week 2: Doing It Right: Battling Reproductive Cancers
The second week of Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month focuses on battling reproductive cancers, which affect both male and female fire fighters. Male fire fighters face a 30% increased risk of developing prostate cancer and a 34% to 47% increased risk (depending on the source) of developing testicular cancer. Female fire fighters, on the other hand, have a 46% higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to the general population. Even more alarming, they are 500% more likely to develop cervical cancer than women who are not fire fighters.
Learn more about how the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) are working together to support North American fire fighters by “Doing It Right.”
All resources are also available to review at your convenience.
Spotlight Story
Factsheets:
Call to Action:
Educational Presentation #1:
Note: Make sure you view the presentation in “Presenter Mode” to capture the instructor notes for the slides. (Updated for 2024)
Prevention Practices:
Training Briefs:
Survivor Stories:
Week 3: Doing It Right: Behavioral Health for Fire Fighters Diagnosed with Cancer
Week 3: Doing It Right: Behavioral Health for Fire Fighters Diagnosed with Cancer
Week 3 of Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month focuses on the behavioral health of fire fighters diagnosed with cancer. Our emergency responders' mental and emotional well-being is critical, and it extends beyond their work. Supporting fire fighters means providing tangible, actionable help to ease the logistical challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. It is the responsibility of everyone—peers, leaders, and the entire fire service community—to support those who have been diagnosed.
The responsibility to provide support extends not only to the diagnosed fire fighters themselves but also to their families, who share the challenges of the diagnosis. Simple acts of kindness—like organizing a meal train, offering a shoulder to cry on, or lending a listening ear—can make a meaningful difference. Together, we can help ease the burdens of a cancer diagnosis and reduce the emotional strain it places on both fire fighters and their families.
Learn more about how the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) are working together to support North American fire fighters by “Doing It Right.”
All resources are also available to review at your convenience.
Spotlight Story
Factsheets:
Call to Action:
Educational Presentation #1:
Note: Make sure you view the presentation in “Presenter Mode” to capture the instructor notes for the slides. (Updated for 2024)
Prevention Practices:
Training Briefs:
Survivor Stories:
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Week 4: Survivorship, Personal Responsibility and Culture Change
Week 4: Survivorship, Personal Responsibility and Culture Change
Week 4 focuses on survivorship and two of the biggest challenges in addressing cancer within the fire service: personal responsibility and culture change. To reduce cancer risks, we must take ownership of our health and actively advocate for important cultural shifts in our profession. Actions such as using our Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) during overhaul, scheduling regular cancer screenings, and prioritizing total wellness are just a few ways we can take responsibility for our health while driving cultural change.
By working together, we can lower the risk of occupational cancer, build safer practices within the fire service, and ensure that we not only survive a career in public service but also enjoy a long, healthy retirement with our loved ones.
Learn more about how the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) are working together to support North American fire fighters by “Doing It Right.”
All resources are also available to review at your convenience.
Spotlight Story
Factsheets:
Call to Action:
Best Practices to Reduce Cancer in the Fire Service:
Educational Presentation #1:
Note: Make sure you view the presentation in “Presenter Mode” to capture the instructor notes for the slides. (Updated for 2024)
Prevention Practices:
Training Briefs:
Survivor Stories:
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Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month 2025 Social Media Graphics.
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