NFPA Journal - Fall 2022 - 18

Dispatches Briefs
Firefighting is
a carcinogen,
scientists say
Firefighting is
now considered
carcinogenic to
humans. That was
the groundbreaking
announcement made
on June 30 after
25 scientists from
eight countries met
at the International
Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC) in
Lyon, France, to finalize
their evaluation
of the carcinogenicity
of occupational
exposure as a firerisks
to firefighters
going forward, " said
Amanda Kimball,
executive director of
the Fire Protection
Research Foundation
(FPRF).
The FPRF has
completed its own
research related to
firefighter exposure
to carcinogens and is
currently working on
a project that aims to
uncover deep-cleaning
methods that
can remove residual
carcinogens that can
remain on firefighter
turnout gear. Learn
fighter. The scientists
made their decision
based on " sufficient "
evidence that
firefighting causes
cancer in humans,
according to an article
published in the
journal The Lancet
Oncology.
Previously, firefighting
had been
classified as " possibly
carcinogenic " by
the IARC, a research
agency that's part
of the World Health
Organization. The
new classification
validates years of
evidence that firefighters
experience
higher rates of cancer
than the general
public-cancers such
as bladder cancer,
prostate cancer, lymphomas,
and more.
" The announcement
has important
implications for firefighters
everywhere
and may be used as
the basis for future
policies, guidance,
and research to help
minimize cancer
more about that project
by visiting nfpa.
org/foundation and
selecting " Current
Projects. "
FPW at 100:
'Fire won't wait'
This October will
mark the 100th
year of Fire Prevention
Week (FPW),
the United States'
longest-running
public health campaign.
In June, NFPA
announced this
year's theme: " Fire
won't wait. Plan your
escape. "
" This year's Fire
Prevention Week
campaign capitalizes
on its milestone anniversary,
celebrating
all we've accomplished
in reducing
the public's risk to
fire over the past
hundred years, " said
Lorraine Carli, vice
president of the NFPA
Outreach and Advocacy
division. " At the
same time, the theme
18 | NFPA JOURNAL * FALL 2022
addresses challenges
that remain. "
While fewer people
die in home fires
across the country
than they did in the
past, if you do experience
a home fire,
you're more likely
to die in it today
than you were in
1980, according to
NFPA data. " Today's
homes burn faster
and hotter than they
used to, minimizing
the amount of time
you have to escape
safely, " said Carli. " In
a typical home fire,
you may have as little
as two minutes to
get out from the time
the smoke alarms
sounds. "
That statistic, along
with others that
illustrate the dangers
of today's home fire
landscape, became
the basis for the 2022
FPW theme. Key messaging
for the theme
will focus on escape
planning, smoke
alarms, and more. To
learn more about Fire
Prevention Week, its
100th anniversary,
and this year's theme,
go to nfpa.org/fpw.
NFPA names new
board members
NFPA elected three
new members to its
Board of Directors at
its Annual Meeting,
part of the Conference
& Expo held in
June in Boston.
Butch Browning,
Adrián Gallardo
Landeros, and Mark
Ghilarducci will serve
three-year terms on
the NFPA Board of
Directors. Additionally,
current board
member Patrick Morrison
was re-elected
for his second threeyear
term.
Browning, who
has spent more than
35 years in the fire
service, is the executive
director of the
National Association
of State Fire Marshals
and served as the
Louisiana state fire
marshal from 2008
to this year, when he
retired. Landeros has
provided professional
advice and consulting
services to
governors, legislative
bodies, and federal
ministries in Mexico
for two decades and
has also co-authored
several books on economic
and political
issues. Ghilarducci,
who has more than
30 years of experience
in public safety
and government
management, is the
director of the California
Governor's
Office of Emergency
Services.
For a full list of current
board members
and to read more
announcements from
C&E, such as this
year's award winners,
visit nfpa.org/
pressroom.
NFPA mourns
loss of longtime
board member
The NFPA community
is mourning the death
of Randy Tucker,
whose involvement
with the association
spanned decades.
Tucker died in June.
property around the
world, " said NFPA
President Jim Pauley.
" He will be sadly
missed by all in fire
protection. "
Tucker was born in
Highland Park, Illinois,
and graduated
from the Illinois Institute
of Technology
with a degree in fire
protection engineering.
He later received
his master's in business
administration
from Northwestern
University.
In addition to his
roles at NFPA, Tucker
worked for more
than 35 years at Rolf
Jensen & Associates,
a construction engineering
company.
He was also active in
many professional
societies, serving as
national president of
the Society for Marketing
Professional
Services and as a
board member of the
Alliance for Bangladesh
Worker Safety.
Tucker, who lived in
Woodlands, Texas, is
survived by his wife,
son and daughter-inlaw,
a granddaughter,
and two brothers.
FPRF to host
special webinar
series in August
On August 24 and 25,
the Fire Protection
Research Foundation
is set to host a special
webinar series
celebrating its 40th
anniversary.
The series will
Tucker served on
the NFPA Board of
Directors from 2004
to 2018, including as
chair from 2016 to
2018, and on many
NFPA technical
committees.
" Randy was a
driving influence
behind NFPA's global
expansion strategies,
strongly believing
that there is more
that can be done
to save lives and
feature more than 20
presenters who are
scheduled to speak
on topics ranging
from firefighting
foams to community
risk reduction to the
fire safety challenges
of green buildings.
Sign up for the
webinar series by
visiting nfpa.org/
foundation and
selecting " The Fire
Protection Research
Foundation's 40th
Anniversary. "
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NFPA Journal - Fall 2022

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