Some Sacramento firefighters are stripping at the scene of a fire. Here's why
SACRAMENTO – Each year cancer kills more firefighters than any other occupational injury, and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District is taking steps to lower exposure to harmful soot and ash.
By the time firefighters knock down a blaze, they're often covered in chemicals that could cut their lives short.
"It's kind of like a toxic soup," said Racquel Cesnalis with the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Studies show that exposure to burning household items like carpets and furniture dramatically increases the risk of getting cancer.
"What we've seen is some of these plastics and these synthetic products are actually making the smoke thicker," Cesnalis said.
The job has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, the highest risk.
About 63% of line-of-duty deaths were due to occupational cancer," Cesnalis said.
"That repeated exposure led to the illness that eventually took their life," said Sean DeCrane with the International Association of Fire Fighters.
In the past, fire crews would have to drive back to the station to clean off the smoke and soot, often spreading contaminants inside the fire engine and even the firehouse.
Now, Metro Fire is dedicating new resources to try and keep crews safe, including a specially designed truck being dispatched to structure fires.
"We want to get our folks decontaminated as quickly as we can, get those carcinogens off of them so those don't have the ability to either be inhaled or absorbed by the body," said Metro Fire Battalion Chief Parker Wilbourn.
The process starts with a shower right at the scene. They then get scrubbed with this brush.
Firefighters will then strip down, taking off their contaminated ash-covered clothing in public.
"Fortunately, our folks are wearing clothes underneath the turnouts so they're not going to be exposed," Wilbourn said.
The gear is then bagged up - sealed - and taken to be cleaned before being used again.
"We're trying to get ahead of it now we're being proactive with this as a resource," Wilbourn said.
Metro Fire has lost members to cancer in the past - they hope these new tools will help prevent future tragedies.
"We take pride on being on the forefront of cancer prevention and doing what's best for our membership, looking not only in the next five years but 20 years down the line," Wilbourn said.
All metro fire crews are now equipped with a second set of protective clothing so they can remain in service. They say this decontamination process is a pilot project. If successful, other agencies could adopt it.
