Fort McMurray firefighters now fighting possible illnesses
Posted Jul 11, 2016 04:01:01 AM.
Last Updated Jul 11, 2016 04:54:54 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The president of the firefighters’ union in Fort McMurray fears the lives of some his crew will be shortened as a result of battling the massive wildfire that devastated the northern Alberta city in May.
A study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety in the United States revealed in 2013 that firefighters have increased risks for several major cancers, including melanoma, acute myeloid leukemia and cancers of the esophagus, prostate, brain and kidney.
The International Association of Fire Fighters says on its website that firefighters also face a risk of developing lung disease, heart disease, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Nick Waddington says the firefighters breathed in hazardous smoke for days as the flames destroyed 24-hundred homes and buildings, and some of have developed a persistent cough.
Blood work and lung tests are being performed, and Waddington predicts the firefighters will need treatment for possible illnesses over the next 10 to 20 years.
