ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – January is firefighter cancer awareness month. Occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service.

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is an organization that supports more than 333,000 full-time professional firefighters and paramedics.

Each year in September, the IAFF honors the sacrifices made by IAFF members who have given their lives in the line of duty by placing their names on a Wall of Honor.

According to the IAFF, almost 75% of the names added to the wall were members who had died from occupational cancer in 2022.

While looking to increase public awareness, The IAFF and Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) partnered to provide guidance and lifesaving tools for cancer prevention and support.

Although January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, the IAFF provides weekly content on its page on how leaders and members can limit exposure to carcinogens that are available throughout the year.

More details can be found at: https://www.iaff.org/cancer-awareness-month/