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    • 24 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Health Impacts from Occupational Exposure

    By Tara C.

    Last Updated Nov 14.2025

    Summary: Firefighters are 9% more likely to get cancer and 14% more likely to die from cancer than the general population. This is due to the carcinogenic exposures you face on the job. These exposures are found on fire scenes, in fire stations, and in your gear. These tips can help you reduce your exposures and your over all risk. 

    On Scene

    1. No matter how small the fire– wear your SCBA– even during overhaul. Every exposure adds up.

     

    2. During rehab and on scene after the fire– use FireWipes on your skin. Start with cleaning your eyelids and the corner of your eyes. Then forehead, checks, and jawline. Then wipe your neck– front and back. Move on to your ears and your hair. Clean your forearms and your wrists. Finally wipe your hands– and if you can– your grain underarms

     

    3. Gross decon with soap and water on scene. This will remove 85% of contaminants on gear. After gear has been deconed– bag it in a separate compartment in truck. (or if you’re riding your own car– the bed of a truck or in your trunk. Never bring gear into your personal vehicle.

    Immediately After a Fire

    4. Prioritize decon shower over cleaning gear. Shower ASAP with FLAME to remove carcinogens from your skin and hair. Start with luke warm water to clean your whole body and if you’d like to make your shower hotter after you wash, do that.

     

    5. Clean all firefighting gear– SCBA, boots, hoods, helmets. Anything that was in the fire. Use a sink or use a bucket– FLAME Laundry Detergent in a bucket is a great option for this.

     

    6. Wet wipe inside of apparatus– all hard or non-porous surfaces

    Days Off

    7. 30 minutes of exercise the day after a fire helps your body process/ flush out toxins.

     

    8. Catch up on your sleep on your off days– use Rescue 1’s Out of Service Formula to help you fall asleep naturally.

     

    9. Get screened for all types of cancers

     

    10. Follow the 2 weeks rule– if anything feels off/different (example– unexplained pain, decreased energy, no appetite, different bowel movements) and it’s been 2 weeks of that– get it checked by a doctor immediately.

     

    11. Work on reducing your stress on your off days.

    Station Habits

    12. Wash hands immediately after touching firefighting gear– no matter how new or clean it is

     

    13. Avoid spending unnecessary time/hanging out in the apparatus bay

     

    14. Avoid doing workouts in the apparatus bay

     

    15. Cleaning the bay should be done with a wet mop– and never shop vacs or anything that will lift dust/carcinogens into the air

     

    16. Wash your hands before eat/making food

     

    17. Wash your hands BEFORE (and after) using the bathroom (you don't want to transfer carcinogens to sensitive areas)

     

    18. Don’t go home in your station wear– instead leave it at the firehouse and wash it there or bag it to bring it home

     

    19. When you’re not on shift– keep turnout gear out of the apparatus bay. If possible– have a separate room to store turn out gear for off duty firefighters.

     

    20. Keep turnout gear out of living areas of firehouse.

     

    21. Take a decon shower after your shift– to wash away anything picked up at the firehouse before you come home

    Additional Steps to Reduce Exposures

    22. Be mindful of products that you use on your skin, as our skin is our largest organ and is highly absorbent. This means that chemicals used in products are easily absorbed into your body. To start making these changes check out apps like Yuka or EWG Skin Deep. Here you can look up products you use to see if they’re safe for your skin and they’ll give you suggestions for cleaner products to use if the ones you’re currently using aren’t great for you.

    23. Be mindful of the cleaning products you’re using around your home and at the station. Things like dish soap, cleaning sprays and hand soaps often have harmful, carcinogenic chemicals in them. You can actually use the same apps mentioned above to look these up and find better options as well

    24. Be mindful of what you’re eating. A lot of processed foods have chemicals and preservatives that are harmful to our health. With the added exposures of the job, you don’t need to be getting more bad shit from your food. Whole, nonprocessed foods are always best