Public Safety Training Center

Course Description:

National Firefighter Registry for Cancer: Understanding and Reducing Cancer in the Fire Service

This presentation will educate firefighters about the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer, the largest effort ever undertaken to understanding and reduce risk of cancer among U.S. firefighters. Firefighters are exposed to chemicals on the fireground that could increase their risk of developing cancer. There are many unanswered questions about how cancer risk may vary across our nation’s diverse fire service. In 2018, Congress passed the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, which directed the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to develop a voluntary registry to study cancer among firefighters. NIOSH is recruiting firefighters to join the NFR so that we can better understand the link between firefighting and cancer.

Bio:

Dr. Wesley R. Attwood is a Public Health Advisor within the NIOSH Public Safety Program which aims to reduce, prevent, or eliminate occupational exposures, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among public safety sector workers through a focused program of research and prevention. This includes developing partnerships to identify and address the most salient needs of and emerging issues facing workers in the fire service, law enforcement, corrections, emergency medical services, and wildland firefighting. Dr. Attwood maintains a diverse background in public safety, previously serving in federal law enforcement and currently serving as a volunteer firefighter and hazardous materials technician in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Upon registration you will recieve a link to the presntation.