A North East fire and rescue service has become the first in the UK to support research that could help to save firefighters' lives.
Participating firefighters at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have undergone health monitoring, which explores the potential effects of contaminants produced from fires, to support research into firefighter safety The potentially life-saving research was commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and is being carried out by the University of Central Lancashire and looks at the need for thorough decontamination and the links to cancer in firefighters.
It is led by experts in fire chemistry and toxicology and comes following the publication of new research in January which found that instances of cancer among firefighters aged 35 - 39 is up to 323% higher than the general population in the same age category. The research also found that firefighters are significantly more likely to die from cancer, heart attacks, stroke, and several other diseases.
