Dr. Kathleen Navarro is a research industrial hygienist at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Her research focuses on characterizing firefighter’s exposure to chemicals from smoke, understand pathways of exposures, and developing practices to reduce exposure. Previously, she worked for the US Forest Service and conducted research quantifying exposure to smoke for the public and wildland firefighters and estimating risk of mortality for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease for wildland firefighters. To complete her research, she became qualified as a wildland firefighter and spent last fire season as a crewmember on the Redmond Hotshots.
Her work can be found here:
Risk assessment study - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30981117/
Summary of results: Across all exposure scenarios and career durations, the calculated risk for LC and CVD was greater than one, indicating an increased risk of mortality from LC and CVD from PM. Here are interpretations of the risk estimates that were calculated:
- Firefighters working a short fire season (48 days) for 5 years have an 8% increase in risk of LC and 16% increase in risk of CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) mortality.
- Firefighters working a long fire season for 25 years have an 43% increase in risk of LC and 30% increase in risk of CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) mortality
Oh, how could I forget? All this particulate matter and smoke has a HUGE impact on susceptibility and severity to COVID. Check out the following guidance from the CDC:
These are being updated with a smoke question - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/wildland-firefighters-faq.html
Here is a new link for the FMB guidance regarding COVID from the NWCG - https://www.nwcg.gov/partners/fmb/covid-19#PM
Additional resources:
To better understand the link between on-the-job exposure to toxicants and cancer, Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)external icon to create the National Firefighter Registry (NFR).
The NFR will be used to track and analyze cancer trends and risk factors among the U.S. fire service to help the public safety community, researchers, scientists and medical professionals find better ways to protect those who protect our communities and environment.
All firefighters—structural and wildland, career and volunteer, active and retired—should consider participating in the NFR. This includes firefighters who have never received a cancer diagnosis, previously had cancer, or currently have cancer. Follow the link below to register:
NIOSH Firefighter Cancer Registry: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/registry.html
Here are some other useful links:
Explanation of Hierarchy of Controls: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hierarchy/default.html
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gqTbJSQL_U
NIOSH Instagram: @Nioshusa
CDC Instagram: @CDC
Stay safe, stay savage, and enjoy!
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