MERIDIAN, Idaho — When Meridian Fire Department Chief Kris Blume got into the career almost 25 years ago, he did not think about the health risks.
“I never had even an awareness that cancer was something that we needed to be aware of,” he said.
But cancer risk is definitely something he is aware of now. A recent 2022 study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer found occupational exposure as a firefighter causes cancer.
Previously, the IARC believed firefighting was “possibly” carcinogenic. Blume said he is trying to minimize exposure to harmful chemicals, especially as the city builds new fire stations around Meridian and orders more trucks.
He said the dangers of the profession are not limited to breathing in diesel exhaust from the fire vehicles, working in burning buildings and being exposed to soot.
“It’s the cumulative effect of all of those small things over a career that leads to a diagnosis of occupational cancer,” Blume said.
Decreasing the rate of cancer among firefighters is both a local and nation-wide effort, he said. Purchasing cutting-edge technology for their trucks and making sure all surfaces are easy to clean helps decrease exposure.
The Meridian Fire Department also uses clean capture diesel systems, which prevent diesel “particulate matter” from being emitted into the station’s garage bay. Blume said they are also evaluating all of their gear.
Firefighter paramedic Chris Goodnight said he is grateful for all the precautions.
“We’re doing everything that we can on our end, whether it’s washing our gear, doing gross de-con at scenes, and not bringing our dirty gear and our dirty equipment back into our trucks and engines,” he said.
Goodnight was under no illusions when starting this career. Despite the potential health risks, he said helping others makes the career worth it.
“The good things that we’re able to do and the good things that we’re able to see and be a part of definitely outweigh those things,” he said. “But also in the same sense, it's also our job to do the best that we can to reduce a lot of those risks and cancer being one of them.”
Blume said he is passionate about improving the profession. A big chunk of that goal, he said, includes making sure his staff members stay as healthy and safe as possible.
“For me, it’s too late,” Blume said. “I’ve had 25 years of cumulative exposure. I owe it to the brothers and sisters in the American fire service to provide them the best equipment, the best training, the best prevention, and the best work environment that I can.”
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