The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has established a new Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-Being. The establishment of the NIOSH Center builds on decades of experience working with firefighting organizations to comprehend and protect firefighters from the specific work-related hazards they face. At the same time, it looks ahead, considering how best to serve this vital group of workers.
John Howard, M.D., director of NIOSH, stated that firefighters “are vital to the safety of our communities, risking their health and safety to protect our own.” “By combining our research and knowledge, the Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-Being enables NIOSH to better protect firefighters from both short- and long-term hazards from their jobs.”
The Center is a focal point for partners to interact with NIOSH regarding the wide range of services and research relating to firefighters offered by the Institute (such as fatality investigations and the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer). Through its coordinating teams, the Center model will enable quicker responses to new and emerging dangers and aid in identifying the priority service and research projects where NIOSH should concentrate its resources.
The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is managed by NIOSH, which also conducts health hazard assessments, investigates fatalities, examines hazardous exposures to materials such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), assesses personal protective equipment, and studies the particular risks and working conditions associated with wildland firefighting environments.