Thanks to a $1.1 million federal grant specifically for firefighters, more than 90 percent of Omaha firefighters are participating in comprehensive health screenings aimed at cancer prevention and wellness. In the future, the city of Omaha is expected to support continued health efforts for this group, which has dramatically higher rates of cancer and heart health issues. “It's hard to tell the next generation of firefighters to come work for us. It's a great job. It's a rewarding job. But it can make you sick and it can kill you.” said Trevor Toye, president of the local fire union. 385. Those who participate in the evaluation are happy to be surrounded by so many people. “It's hard to get nine out of 10 firefighters to do something, so a 90% success rate is amazing,” said Lowell Ferguson, an Omaha firefighter and paramedic. He had just completed a stress test at Sink Hole Personnel Healthcare in Omaha as part of an effort to test and study all Omaha firefighters who wish to participate. “First of all, they are hungry to receive this type of care,” he said. Brian Poole is a sink doctor who worked with fire unions to create a comprehensive testing protocol. The nine cancer screenings are part of the physical exam, along with blood tests, body composition tests, cardiac stress tests, and vision and hearing tests. Mr. Toye was instrumental in securing his FEMA grant through the Firefighter Assistance Grant Program. More than 670 firefighters signed up for the volunteer screening. Currently, more than 14 employees at the department have recently been diagnosed with cancer. “Cancer is the number one cause of firefighters dying in the line of duty,” Toye said, noting that firefighters are nine times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the average person. Their cancer mortality rate is 14 percent higher. That's according to a 10-year study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Because there are several,” Toye said. Toye and his battalion chief, Coby Warner, have already taken action, including changing their diets based on the test results. Lack of sleep and stress are also part of daily work and can have a huge impact on your overall health. “If we can identify some firefighters, let's feed them a little bit better. They're eating better as a group,” Toye said. Werner said firefighters are exposed to numerous chemicals on a daily basis and testing is a good first step. Will pay dividends in the future. The department is constantly investing in new equipment and safety technology. “Early detection can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars by catching something sooner rather than later,” Werner said. Capt. Pat O'Brien, a 26-year veteran of the department, said testing is a way to catch and treat problems early. O'Brien is especially concerned about attracting future firefighters to the department and keeping them safe. “We have a lot of young kids working, my son is among them, and I need to make sure they're healthy throughout their careers,” O'Brien said. . His son, Ty, is part of the most recent graduating class of recruits (35 people) and has been on duty this month. The City of Omaha donated his $100,000 to screening efforts. Toye hopes that regular advanced medical testing will become the norm for the profession. Click here for the latest headlines on KETV NewsWatch 7
Thanks to a $1.1 million federal grant specifically for firefighters, more than 90 percent of Omaha firefighters are participating in comprehensive health screenings aimed at cancer prevention and wellness.
In the future, the city of Omaha is expected to support continued health efforts for this group, which has dramatically higher rates of cancer and heart health issues. “It's hard to tell the next generation of firefighters to come work for us. It's a great job. It's a rewarding job. But it can make you sick and it can kill you.” said Trevor Toye, president of the local fire union. 385.
Those participating in the evaluation are happy to be surrounded by so many people.
“It's hard to get nine out of 10 firefighters to do something, so a 90% success rate is amazing,” said Lowell Ferguson, an Omaha firefighter and paramedic. He had just completed a stress test at Sinkhole Person Healthcare in Omaha as part of an effort to test and study all Omaha firefighters who wish to participate.
“Number one, they're hungry for access to this type of care,” says Dr. Brian Poole, a sink physician who worked with firefighter unions to create comprehensive testing protocols. The nine cancer screenings are part of the physical exam, along with blood tests, body composition tests, cardiac stress tests, and vision and hearing tests.
Mr. Toye was instrumental in securing a grant from FEMA through the Firefighter Assistance Grant Program. More than 670 firefighters signed up for the volunteer screening. The department currently has more than 14 recent cancer cases among its employees.
“Cancer is the number one cause of firefighters dying in the line of duty,” Toye said, noting that firefighters are nine times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the average person and have a 14 percent higher death rate from cancer. did. This is according to a 10-year study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“Let's look for some trends, because there might be some things we can say as a department that if we do more of this and that, we can keep our members healthy,” Towey said.
Toye and Battalion Chief Coby Warner have already taken action, including changing their diets based on the test results. Lack of sleep and stress are also part of daily work and can have a huge impact on your overall health.
“If you can identify some firefighters, let's eat a little better. They're eating better as a group,” Toye said.
Werner said firefighters are exposed to numerous chemicals on a daily basis, and this test is a good first step that could pay dividends down the line. The department is constantly investing in new equipment and safety technology.
“Early detection can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars by catching something sooner rather than later,” Werner said.
Capt. Pat O'Brien, a 26-year veteran of the department, said testing is a way to catch and treat problems early. He is particularly concerned about attracting future firefighters to the department and keeping them safe.
“We have a lot of young kids working, my son is among them, and I need to make sure they're healthy throughout their careers,” O'Brien said. . His son, Ty, is part of the most recent graduating class of recruits (35 people) and has been on duty this month.
The City of Omaha donated $100,000 to screening efforts. Toye hopes that regular advanced medical testing will become the norm for the profession.
Click here for the latest headlines on KETV NewsWatch 7