Firefighters and Mesothelioma

Firefighters understand that risking their lives to save others can be part of the job. These courageous people go forth, knowing that they will face fire, smoke, and collapsing buildings. When facing these immediate and obvious dangers, firefighters take the necessary precautions to help ensure their safety. Unfortunately, firefighters also face exposure to asbestos and many times they may not be aware if the substance is present in a structure.

Today, most people have heard about asbestos and the dangers associated with it. We know that asbestos exposure can be deadly since it is directly connected to causing mesothelioma cancer. Since the 1980's, many companies have taken precautions to remove or seal off the substance in many buildings, greatly reducing the risk of general exposure. However, since asbestos proved to be an excellent insulator and was very fire retardant, it was used heavily in construction materials from around the 1920's through the 1970's. Along with being used as wall and pipe insulation, asbestos was also mixed with paint, pressed with other materials to make wallboards, mixed into cement for wall shingles and floor tiles, and even used for joint compounds.

Many older structures across the United States still contain asbestos in different forms because of the high cost and difficulty of removal. While many have taken precautions to seal off the areas containing the asbestos, disturbances to the areas, such as fire or a structure collapsing, can cause the distribution of asbestos fibers into the air.

Firefighters have access to safety gear, such as self contained breathing apparatuses, that can help to reduce exposure. However, they can still become infected after removing this equipment. The dust lingers in the air around the area and can also become trapped within clothing or settled onto trucks and equipment. Therefore, firefighters can become exposed at the disaster area, the fire station, and there have been cases of asbestos fibers being carried home and infecting family members.

One of the most highly publicized cases of asbestos exposure by firefighters and first responders was during the rescue and clean-up efforts of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Testing of the air around the World Trade Center revealed high levels of asbestos. Though some of the asbestos had been disposed of in removal efforts, hundreds of tons remained and were released following the attacks. Read More: 9/11 Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma symptoms can take 20 or more years to appear after the initial exposure. Firefighters during the 1900's could have been exposed while working without ever knowing it and because of the lack of knowledge about the disease, the chances of them taking the proper precautions would have been incredibly low. Even worse, before dangers of asbestos were exposed, it was used in fire fighter's protective clothing to help shield them from high heats.

To help prevent exposure, workers should take the time to clean suits and equipment after a job. It is also very important for the service workers to be outfitted with the best equipment. Firefighters run a very high risk of being exposed and every step taken helps.

Firefighters should visit doctors regularly for checkups. Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma, but if the disease is detected early on, there exist several treatment options that have produced favorable results. Every day, tests are providing positive news about mesothelioma treatments from around the world, especially in the United States, UK, and Germany. We have provided a listing of mesothelioma doctors and treatment clinics by state, to allow concerned workers and family members to find a specialist in their area.

For firefighters and families of workers who have been exposed and developed mesothelioma or for those who have lost loved ones to this deadly disease, there are communities available to discuss coping skills, home treatments, and to just provide a place to talk about how it affects your life.

If you have any questions or concerns about mesothelioma or would like more information on exposure to this deadly disease, please feel free to contact us by filling out this form.