The Firefighter Cancer Initiative (FCI) was launched in 2015 through a state of Florida appropriation. The primary goals of FCI are to better document and understand the excess burden of cancer among Florida firefighters and identify novel, evidence-based methods for reducing risk. The initiative, led by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, healthcare practitioners, and occupational health and safety experts, uses community-engaged approaches to ensure that firefighters’ voices and occupational experiences are reflected throughout all aspects of program planning and implementation.

Since its launch, scientists have worked closely with firefighters on the development and implementation of various projects, including the annual cancer survey, educational and survivorship curriculums, and environmental sampling program, among others. These projects lead to tangible changes in fire service and can result in the reduction and prevention of cancer within the firefighter community. The initiative now includes departments from across the state of Florida and seeks to expand its reach to ensure representation from a diverse set of departments, regions, and firefighters. Together, FCI and its partners are making fire service safer.

Acknowledgments: This work was supported by State of Florida appropriation #2373A (Principal Investigator Dr. Erin Kobetz) to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) grant K01-OH010485 Caban-Martinez (PI).