More dangers await firefighters after the blaze is out

Lt. Cam Potts, 48, died in June with retired captain Rick Boksteyn, 62, dying on Saturday.

Both died of cancer contracted in the line of duty.

Fire Chief Brian Stauth says the loss of two members is devastating to the service. They are losses the department is trying hard to avoid through a number of health and wellness initiatives.

The long-held view of firefighters — who cultivated a macho image of a soot-covered tough guy — has changed says the chief.

“The days of going into a fire without a mask or wearing gear are long gone,” said Stauth. “We had to see people die to wake us up.”

And they are still dying from a disease which can take years to manifest itself. Cancer is now being recognized as the leading cause of workplace deaths, claiming the lives of 50 to 60 firefighters annually in Canada.

Those numbers are the motivation in changing how things are done now.

“If you ever talk to a firefighter, you’ll know if they’ve been in a good working fire, sometimes after they shower – it can be even two or three days later – they can still smell the contaminants coming out of their skin,” said Stauth.

“I’m almost ashamed to say we would rarely wash out bunker gear. It was almost a badge of honour to have dirty bunker gear. But that line of thinking has changed completely.”

Since cancer became recognized as a workplace-related illness in the 1990s, many identified types have been presumed to be caused by being a firefighter.

But that’s based on years of exposure, says Curtis Noble, Medicine Hat Firefighters Association vice-president.

Noble says advocacy efforts have been aimed at reducing the instances of a disease that does not operate on a timetable.

Having it assumed a range of cancers have been caused by dousing blazes allows those left behind to be taken care of.

Potts had just gotten married, said Noble, and Boksteyn left a big hole in the local youth sporting community.

“Young man, new family – I just attended his wedding with some friends just a year-and-a-half ago and I just feel for the family, feel for everyone that knew him and loved the guy,” said Noble.

“I’ve known Rick my whole life. Pillar of the community, stand-up gentleman. A guy who took his vacation time to coach young kids and mould young men on the football field and rugby pitch and spent 39 years serving the people of Medicine Hat in the fire service.”

Stauth says firefighters know the risks but that doesn’t mean such deaths don’t hurt.

He says the department is engaged in a number of mitigation efforts including ensuring bunker gear is removed, isolated and washed following a call, firefighters shower off soot and sit in saunas to eliminate and draw out contaminants. As well, regular health and wellness checks to ensure both physical and emotional health is maintained.

But the nature of a job which requires men and women to rush into burning building will always be dangerous.

by Alex McCuaig

More dangers await firefighters after the blaze is out

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