SE Valley Times

The Chandler Fire Department will continue to offer voluntary cancer screening to its first responders as part of ongoing efforts to reduce and mitigate firefighter exposure to carcinogens. The Chandler City Council has renewed the agreement with Vincere Cancer Center for enhanced cancer prevention and diagnosis services, allocating up to $550,000 through June 2025. These services provide Chandler Fire personnel with access to a wide variety of screenings, scans, blood work, and other tests for early detection of cancers. The agreement with Vincere Cancer Center can be extended annually through June 2029.

Since launching the cancer screening program in November 2022, Chandler Fire has experienced high rates of participation and success. The latest screening had a 94 percent participation rate and identified 19 significant findings, including eight positive cancer diagnoses.

These cancer screening services are part of a broader set of measures taken by the Chandler Fire Department to limit exposure to carcinogens found in smoke and off-gassing chemicals and materials. Efforts begin on the scene of incidents through procedures and personal protective equipment designed to reduce firefighter exposure to hazardous substances. After incidents and training exercises, firefighters undergo extensive decontamination measures and report exposures to smoke and other combustible materials.

Each firefighter is equipped with two complete sets of turnouts so that one set can be cleaned after an exposure. Additionally, Chandler Fire has purchased extractors—powerful washing machines—for each fire station to expedite the cleaning process for turnouts. Turnouts and boots remain in the apparatus bay to avoid contaminating firefighters' living quarters.