MESOTHELIOMA

From Delores Burks of Mesothelioma.Net (http://mesotheliomahelp.net/firefighters.html), "America's Mesothelioma Resource" with pages dedicated to diagnosis & symptoms, treatment, cancer resources, doctors, patients & families, news headlines, and more:

 

MesotheliomaHelp.net is focused on providing resources to patients and families who have recently received a mesothelioma diagnosis. We offer an extensive physician and treatment center directory, a blog with the latest headlines from scientific journals and mainstream media, and offer free publications for those struggling to understand what a diagnosis means for their future and family.

ASBESTOS

From Richard Moylse of The Asbestos and Mesotheliumoa Center (www.Asbestos.com), a resource-ful web site created in 1995 to warn Americans about the dangers of asbestos exposure:

 

Few people probably think asbestos exposure is a real threat to the nation’s firefighters, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Most imagine the standard risks, such as sudden cave-ins of floors, toppling walls, traffic accidents while responding to calls, and exposure to flames and smoke.  But firefighters are also likely to come in contact with poisonous, flammable, or explosive gases and chemicals—not to mention radioactive or other hazardous materials that have the potential to result in immediate or long-term health effects.

These public safety officials work in a variety of settings, such as urban and suburban areas, airports, chemical plants and other industrial sites, as well as rural areas. Additionally, some firefighters work in hazardous materials units that are trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup of oil spills and other hazardous materials incidents. Though the public, and many firefighters for that matter, do not perceive asbestos exposure to be a hazard for firefighters, this is a real concern that all members of society should be aware of.

Exposure to Asbestos and Firefighting

            Asbestos is a natural mineral that has been used in thousands of products for its natural heat and fire resistance.  Because of these natural properties asbestos was once woven into fabrics used to make gloves, fire blankets, and protective clothing for firefighters. These characteristics, as well as asbestos’ innate durability, are also why the mineral was eagerly added to construction materials. Starting in the late-1800s, asbestos found its way into many construction products, used for both the interior and exterior of buildings. Asbestos was so popular in the construction industry that all residential and commercial structures built before 1980 are considered to contain asbestos-contaminated materials.  Of course, this poses a tangible threat to the nation’s firefighters.

            Because so many older buildings contain asbestos, firefighters run a higher risk of being exposed when contaminated homes catch fire. Exposed to asbestos can even occur during supervised training sessions, as was proven in 2007 when a team of firefighters in Everett, Washington trained in a home laden with asbestos. Traditional risk occurs when a fire or structure collapse results in the damage of a structure’s asbestos-containing materials. This lead to the release of microscopic asbestos fibers into the air and places both firefighters and civilians at risk for hazardous levels of exposure (which can lead to the development of mesothelioma).

Hazards of Asbestos Exposure

            Once airborne, tiny asbestos fibers are easily inhaled and become lodged inside the body. The human body has a difficult time breaking the fibers down and expelling them. Exposure over time can cause a buildup of fibers inside the body, which can lead to a range of illnesses, such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma cancer. Pleural mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that affects the internal lining of the lungs. This rare form of cancer typically results in death, as very few cases have been cured. Reluctantly, mesothelioma treatment regularly leads to palliative measures, since curative treatments seldom produce positive results.  

For more information on the hazards of asbestos and firefighting, please visit Asbestos.com.

MesotheliomaHelp.net is focused on providing resources to patients and families who have recently received a mesothelioma diagnosis. We offer an extensive physician and treatment center directory, a blog with the latest headlines from scientific journals and mainstream media, and offer free publications for those struggling to understand what a diagnosis means for their future and family.