SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Spokane Valley Fire Department was awarded a $25,000 grant the Washington Department of Labor and Industries as part of a program designed to help firefighters stay healthy and safe on the job.
The two-year FIIRE (Firefighter Injury & Illness Reduction) program requires employers to develop and implement a Safety Improvement Plan designed to reduce job-related injuries and illnesses for firefighters through proactive risk management. As part of the program, SVFD completed training, assessments, and implemented best-practices for safety.
“The safety of our Firefighters is a top priority at SVFD,” said Tom Hatley, SVFD Deputy Chief of Administrative Support Services.
Cancer prevention was named the top priority at SVFD. Despite squaring off against raging infernos on the regular, cancer remains the leading cause of death for firefighters, according to the CDC. In America, they’re 9 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the general population, and 14 percent more likely to die from cancer. The International Association of Firefighters tracked line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019 and found 66 percent of them were caused by cancer. In the same timeframe, 18 percent were from heart-disease.
As fires burn, the fuel source often releases toxic fumes and chemicals, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. While limited exposure is unlikely to affect the average joe, firefighters often see multiple incidents a day.
The repeated exposure is hazardous for firefighters, but even their gear can be toxic due to PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). In August last year, the IAFF released an official safety alert, advising new gear be manufactured without PFAS to better protect firefighters.
To that end, SVFD will use the $25,000 grant to purchase a commercial washer for their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and hardgoods!
Additionally, the grant also allows SVFD to save 10 percent on fees for worker compensation, saving an estimated $100,000 per year.
“Finding alternative funding sources by researching available grants is imperative to continue to be a high-quality Fire Department that is fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars,” Hatley said.
