Firefighter Cancer & PFAS: Dr. Jeff Burgess on Exposure Reduction, Decon, and the FFCCS

Travis interviews Dr. Jeff Burgess, professor and director of the Firefighter Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, about firefighter wellness with a focus on cancer and occupational exposures. Burgess explains his background in emergency medicine, toxicology, and occupational medicine and how fit-testing and medical surveillance work with Tucson and Seattle fire departments led him into firefighter health research. They discuss ongoing cancer risks from inhalation and skin absorption, PFAS “forever chemicals” from multiple sources (gear, contaminated drinking water, AFFF, and fire response), and emerging concerns such as reproductive and neurodegenerative effects. Burgess emphasizes practical exposure reduction: on-scene soap-and-water washdown (shown to cut urinary chemicals by over 30% and lower at least one PFAS), prompt gear removal and laundering, glove use when handling dirty gear, and wearing SCBA during overhaul to reduce asbestos exposure linked to mesothelioma. They also cover protections for fire investigators and highlight the Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study (FFCCS), launched in 2018 with 8,300+ participants across 32 states, which collects repeated blood and urine samples to track exposures over time; more info is available at ffccs.org.

00:00 Meet Dr Jeff Burgess

00:46 Career Path Into Research

02:12 Why Firefighters

05:17 Whats New In Cancer Risk

07:49 PFAS Beyond The Gear

11:41 Decon Showers And Washdown

15:27 Clean Cab And Bagging Gear

18:19 PPE For Dirty Gear Handling

20:04 SCBA During Overhaul

21:35 Investigator Exposure Protection

27:34 Firefighter Cohort Study Explained

31:32 Enroll And Closing Resources

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Recruitment & Retention in the Fire Service: Culture, Flexibility, and Making the Ask (with NVFC CEO Sarah Lee)

In this VFIS-sponsored episode of Behind the Sirens, host Travis speaks with National Volunteer Fire Council CEO Sarah Lee about recruitment and retention in the fire service and why the two are closely connected across generations. Lee outlines key reasons departments struggle—time constraints and mental load, volunteers moving to career roles, unwelcoming or toxic culture, and differing generational needs—and emphasizes that culture must be built intentionally. She shares actionable recruitment steps such as creating positive member experiences, offering sampling opportunities like open houses and ride-alongs, showing clear growth paths, and providing flexibility in training and scheduling. For retention, she stresses knowing members as people, checking in when behavior changes, and involving families to build support. Lee highlights NVFC resources including MakeMeAFirefighter.org and tools and training available at NVFC.org.

00:00 Recruitment Retention Kickoff

01:11 Meet Sarah Lee NVFC

02:01 Recruitment Versus Retention

03:28 Why Volunteers Leave

07:47 Culture And Leadership

10:12 Sponsor Break VFIS

10:38 Quick Recruitment Wins

14:08 Keeping Good People

18:31 NVFC Make Me Firefighter

19:51 30 Second Challenge

21:23 More NVFC Resources

23:06 Final Takeaways Outro

Show Notes

Recruitment and Retention in the Fire Service: Culture, Time, and Making the Ask (with NVFC CEO Sarah Lee)

In this VFIS-sponsored Behind the Sirens/All Clear episode, host Travis talks with National Volunteer Fire Council CEO Sarah Lee about fire service recruitment and retention, emphasizing that the issues are intertwined and require balanced staffing across seasoned, mid-level, and younger members. Lee outlines key reasons people don’t join or leave: limited time and mental load, volunteers moving into career positions, unwelcoming or toxic department culture, and unmet generational needs. She offers actionable steps for departments, including creating a positive member experience that fuels word-of-mouth, providing “sampling” opportunities like open houses and ride-alongs, showing clear advancement paths, and offering flexibility in training and scheduling. For retention, she stresses knowing members personally, checking in when behavior changes, and engaging families through communication and inclusive events. Lee highlights NVFC resources such as makemeafirefighter.org and nvfc.org, which provide tools, research, marketing support, guides, and training.

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Fire Service Suicide: Checking In, Seeking Help, and Supporting Your Crew

This All Clear episode delivers a serious message about suicide in the fire service, explaining how repeated exposure to people on their worst days, increasing call volume, lack of sleep, poor diet, and constant pressure to stay mission-ready can grind members down. The host notes there may be no single clear indicator, but warns that dark humor becoming darker or someone withdrawing could be signs to pay attention to, and emphasizes the importance of simply asking, “How are you doing today?” For anyone struggling with thoughts of self-harm, the episode stresses that they are not alone and encourages reaching out to brothers and sisters in the fire service, as well as counselors, chaplains, and mental health specialists. It urges crews to check in regularly and seek help for themselves and their team.

00:00 Serious Message Intro

00:46 Why Suicide Happens

01:28 Stressors That Add Up

02:03 Warning Signs to Notice

02:42 Check In With Each Other

02:57 Help and Resources

03:51 Final Encouragement

Support the show

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