INDIANAPOLIS — Firefighters face life-threatening situations every day — all to keep you safe. Along with the physical danger they face, firefighters are also at high risk of cancer.
That's why Monday the Wayne Township Fire Department gave their firefighters specialized testing.
Exactly 150 Wayne Township firefighters received a liquid biopsy. It's a blood draw that can give them an early indication of cancer in the body, so they can begin treatment earlier and have a better chance of survival.
"We're exposed to so many more carcinogens on a daily basis than the average person," Felicity Morgan, division chief of health and safety for WTFD, said. "Even when we wear our air-masks, those carcinogens can get in our gear and get absorbed by our skin."
The International Association of Firefighters says cancer is the leading cause of death for its members.
