NIOSH’s National Firefighter Registry Established to Learn More About Firefighting and Cancer, Increase Health of These First Responders
The new registry—announced in mid-April—marks the “largest effort undertaken by the nation to support and advance understanding of cancer in the fire service.”
- By Alex Saurman
- Apr 20, 2023
A new registry has been launched to further education on and help reduce the largest contributor to worker deaths in the fire service: cancer.
According to a news release, the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer was announced earlier this week by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Open to all U.S. firefighters, regardless of work status and health history, this voluntary registry will look at cancer registries across the U.S. and compare it to information provided by firefighters about their jobs.
In the news release, NFR Team Lead, Kenny Fent, Ph.D., CIH said that “with more than 1 million career and volunteer firefighters across the U.S., protecting their health and safety is a top priority for NIOSH. We are excited to raise awareness about this groundbreaking effort to better understand and reduce cancer among all types of firefighters, including those who have traditionally been underrepresented in research, such as women, volunteers, and firefighters from racial and ethnic minority groups.”
The launch of this registry marks the “largest effort undertaken by the nation to support and advance understanding of cancer in the fire service,” per the news release.
To sign up for the registry, visit NFR.CDC.GOV.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.