Fairfield raising money to support two firefighters now fighting cancer
FAIRFIELD -- They say heroes wear capes. But in reality, one of the most challenging jobs is the one that truly puts their lives on the line to serve the public.
And for firefighters, fighting fire and fighting for their health is a constant battle.
Firefighters have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. And the most common cause of death for firefighters is cancer.
In Fairfield, a community hopes to support two Fairfield firefighters, Chris and Blake, now fighting cancer they believe resulted from exposure to the toxic environments they dealt with on the job.
On Friday, a poker fundraiser was held at the Jelly Belly Headquarters in Fairfield in honor of the two men to raise money for the two families.
Brian Oftedal with Wall of Heroes (heroeswall.net), a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for first responders, military, and firefighting communities, held the poker fundraiser for Chris and Blake.
Oftdeal said their goal is to raise around $25,000, where the proceeds will support the medical cost and service for the two families. Those who could not attend the fundraiser are able to donate here.
According to experts, firefighters have much higher rates of being diagnosed with cancer than the residents they serve.
Dr. Jooyeon Hwang, an Associate Professor of Environmental Science with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, explains the risk level for firefighters exposed to carcinogenic agents in the workplace.
"There are many different types of firefighter cancer involved with firefighters, Dr. Hwang said. "Among the younger generation of firefighters compared to the general public in the United States, it's up to 5 or 6 times higher than the general population with skin cancer."
"There's a lot of different fire smoke during fire suppression. When the smoke is dark or gray, many different carcinogens or mutagens come from the residue."
According to U.S Fire Administration, firefighters have a greater risk of developing cancer and dying from cancer than the general public stating PFAS, also known as poly-fluoroalkyl substances, are likely "carcinogenic chemicals that degrade very slowly, earning the title 'forever chemical,' that can be found in firefighter blood, bunker gear, the firehouse, and even foam."