Seminole County, Fla. – January’s Meet Expectations’ ‘Bring the Heat’ Classic Girls Gymnastics Competition fundraised nearly $10,000 to help support cancer preventative initiative’s for Firefighters.  The meet was in honor of fallen Orange County Fire Department Rescue’s firefighter Stephen “Shakey” VanRavenswaay, and Shakey’s daughter Brittney VanRavenswaay was part of the organizing committee for the gymnastics meet. Shakey died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 44 in 2015.

72% of Firefighter line-of-duty deaths are cancer related.

The Seminole County Firefighters Benevolent Fund in Seminole County, Florida (union charity arm) used its $5,000 donation to purchase 150 heavy-duty plastic sealable containers where “floating” firefighters can store their gear when they go to various stations. “Floater” Firefighters and Lieutenants do not have a permanent station and bring their gear to various stations.

Studies show Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Group 1 Carcinogens-Known to cause cancer in humans) and Volatile Organic Compounds are found to off gas from Firefighter’s contaminated gear for up 72 hours+ after a fire. These bins reduce the off gassing in Firefighters’ vehicles protecting both them and their families as they store and travel with their gear.

Orange County Fire Charities also received a $5,000 check to benefit cancer-related Firefighter initiatives. ­

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­OTHER STATS:

Firefighters Have:

9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and 14% higher risk of dying of cancer than the general public

102% greater chance of contracting testicular than any other type of worker;

53% greater chance of multiple myeloma;

51% greater chance of non-Hodgkin lymphoma;

39% greater chance of skin cancer;

32% greater chance of brain cancer;

28% greater chance of prostate cancer;

22% greater chance of stomach cancer; and

a 21% greater chance of colon cancer.

University of Cincinnati Study 2006- Grace LeMasters

Florida Firefighter Specific study currently being conducted:

University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Firefighter Cancer Initiative 

Florida’s Male Firefighters Have a: 

20% higher risk of getting Digestive Cancers;

26% higher risk of getting Colon Cancer; 

35% higher risk of getting rectum Cancer; 

239% higher risk of getting Melanoma;

210% higher risk of getting Prostate Cancer;

215% higher risk of getting Bladder Cancer (includes female firefighters);

279% higher risk of getting Thyroid Cancer; 

46% higher risk of Oral/Pharynx Cancer