Skip to Main Content

2023 Agenda

International Firefighter Cancer Symposium 2023

Click on View Presentation to be directed to the session's PowerPoint presentation or click on the session's title in green to view the session video.

Tab 1

8:30am - 8:35am Welcome

Erin Kobetz, PhD, MPH
Vice Provost for Research + Scholarship, University of Miami; Associate Director, Population Sciences and Cancer Disparity, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; Professor, Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

8:35am – 9:05am Opening Speakers

Lori Moore-Merrell, DrPH, MPH
U.S. Fire Administrator, U.S. Fire Administration

Danny Whu, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)

Brian McQueen
Executive Committee and Co-Chairman, National Volunteer Fire Council

Topic 1: IARC Monograph Overview
9:05am - 9:25am Introduction & Overview of the IARC Monograph

Paul Demers, PhD
Director, Occupational Cancer Research Centre; Senior Scientist, Cancer Care Ontario; Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

9:25am - 10:10am IARC Panel Discussion (Exposure, Mechanistic, Epidemiological)

Moderator: Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez

Paul Demers, PhD
Director, Occupational Cancer Research Centre; Senior Scientist, Cancer Care Ontario; Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Lauren Teras, PhD
Scientific Director, Epidemiology Research, American Cancer Society

Marta Oliviera, PhD
Researcher, REQUIMTE-LAQV-ISEP

Luana Main, PhD
Associate Professor, Deakin University (Australia)

Topic 2: Epidemiological Studies
10:35am - 10:50am Firefighter Epidemiology Research

Lauren Teras, PhD
Scientific Director, Epidemiology Research, American Cancer Society

10:50am - 11:05am State of Florida Firefighter Cancer Registry Update

David Lee, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

11:05am - 11:15am Implementing Research in Your Fire Department

James Ziegler, AAS, BS, NREMT-Basic
Captain, Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service

11:25am - 11:40am Cancer-Related Risk Factors in Volunteer and Career Firefighters

Judith Graber, PhD
Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health

11:40am - 11:50am National Firefighter Registry Update

Miriam Siegel, DrPH, MPH
Lead Epidemiologist, National Firefighter Registry, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

12:45pm - 12:50pm Recognition Award
Topic 3: Exposure
12:50pm - 1:05pm Firefighter Exposure Research

Tracy Kirkham, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

1:05pm - 1:20pm Using Silicone Wristbands to Characterize Firefighter’s Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals

Heather Stapleton, PhD
Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor, Duke University

1:25pm - 1:50pm IAFF & Metro Chiefs Joint Statement in PFAS in Turnout Gear

Neil McMillan
Director of Research & Science Department, Division of Health, Safety & Medicine, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)

Danny Whu, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)

Otto Drozd III, EFO, CFO
Executive Secretary, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association

1:50pm - 2:10pm Joint Labor-Management Implementation of the Joint Statement: Making It Work for the Health & Safety of Fire Fighters

Billy McAllister
President, Metro-Dade Firefighters Local 1403

Ray Jadallah
Fire Chief, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue

2:20 PM – 2:50 PM Workers Compensation Panel

JoAnne Rice
Director, State Fire Marshal

Julius Halas, MS
SFM Director (Retired), Fire Services Liaison, United Badges Insurance Services

Rocco Salvatori
Vice President, Florida Professional Firefighters

Geoff Bichler, MA, JD
Partner, Bichler & Longo, PLLC

Gavin Jacklyn
Captain, Brantford Fire Department

Topic 4: Mechanistic Studies
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM IARC Mechanistic Studies Overview

Luana Main, PhD
Associate Professor, Deakin University (Australia)

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Mechanistic Evidence for the Carcinogenicity of Occupational Exposure as a Firefighter

David DeMarini, PhD
Genetic Toxicologist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

3:45 PM – 3:55 PM Q&A

3:55 PM – 4:20 PM FCI Update

Alberto Caban-Martinez, DO, PhD, MPH, CPH
Co-Deputy Director, Firefighter Cancer Initiative

4:25 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Remarks

Alberto Caban-Martinez, DO, PhD, MPH, CPH
Co-Deputy Director, Firefighter Cancer Initiative

Natasha Schaefer Solle, PhD, RN
Co-Deputy Director, Firefighter Cancer Initiative