The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Goldfeder on NLC/TriData Cancer Report: “A grave, grave mistake”
Today, the IAFC and the IAFF released joint statements condemning the recent report from National League of Cities/TriData, “Assessing State Firefighter Cancer Presumption Laws.” Read the IAFC statement here and the IAFF statement here.
In case you’ve been without an Internet connection for the past two weeks, this report—contrary to widely accepted beliefs and proven statistics—stated that conclusive evidence is “lacking to demonstrate a causal relationship between firefighting and cancer.” The IAFC/IAFF’s swift reaction is an indication of how important the issue is. This afternoon, I had the opportunity to talk with Chief Billy Goldfeder, chair of the IAFC’s Safety, Health & Survival Section, who’s been a very vocal protestor of the NLC/TriData report since it was released.
“I think we were all shocked when we saw the report,” Goldfeder said. “Running through my head were the names of a dozen firefighters I’ve been close to who have died in the last couple years following battles with firefighting-related cancers. It’s clear the goal of the NLC/TriData was to stall, slow down or turn around the cancer presumption movement that is appropriately, although slowly, being recognized by good elected officials.” For those unfamiliar with legal mumbo-jumbo, “presumption” refers to legislation that allows firefighters with cancer to collect workers' compensation without having to first prove that they contracted the disease as a result of their job.
Goldfeder believes the report was done with a prejudged conclusion in mind, to give city managers and elected officials leverage to fight presumption legislation. But he doesn’t think their tactics were successful. “I would think that even those who do not necessarily support presumption raised their eyebrows when they saw the recklessness and carelessness of this report,” he says. “All NLC/TriData have done is further motivate us to look out for firefighters, fire officers and issues related to firefighting and cancer.”
IAFC/IAFF Steps In
The report released yesterday was the result of a joint effort by the IAFC and the IAFF to fight the conclusions drawn by the NLC/TriData. The IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section convened a panel of academic, medical and fire and emergency service health experts to review the NLC/TriData report. That information was then reviewed by the IAFF and the IAFF information was reviewed by the IAFC to ensure fair and balanced evaluation. Their assessment is pretty damning. Some highlights:
· The NLC report uses a subjective and highly questionable methodology to review the literature on cancer among firefighters. They “hand select” which articles to review; some studies were excluded simply because they were conducted before 1995.
· The report relies on narrative review methods, which are particularly prone to bias and are widely considered inferior to quantitative review methods.
· The NLC report is reminiscent of the strategy and spin once used by the tobacco industry, which denied for years that smoking causes lung disease and that nicotine is addictive. The NLC’s paper is just as intellectually dishonest today as those cigarette company claims were back then.
· The study spends an inordinate amount of discussion on the potential “cost” of presumptive laws involving cancer, yet the authors provide no cost data to back up their claims.
This quick, emphatic, coordinated response by the IAFC and the IAFF has been immensely satisfying to watch. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way the IAFF and the IAFC came together to address this issue, and following today’s report, many other fire service organizations have indicated that they will endorse the findings,” Goldfeder notes. “But it’s a bittersweet win, because it’s atrocious that we even had to deal with this. ”
Goldefeder echoed the words of IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger in his address to FDIC attendees last week, when he said that as a result of the report, the IAFF is more determined to fight than ever. “It’s my personal opinion that this was a grave, grave mistake by the NLC/TriData, and one that will not be forgotten any time soon,” Goldfeder said. “City governments have a responsibility to take care of and protect their firefighters when their firefighters are exposed to a known environment that potentially leads to cancer.”
Bottom Line: Don’t Believe It
In this snarl of politics, of they said/we said, what’s the line firefighter to conclude? Goldfeder was adamant: “Don’t let this NLC/TriData report do anything to make you think that firefighters are not at a higher and greater risk to cancer exposure,” he said. “Nothing is further from the truth. There’s a direct correlation, there’s evidence—and the IAFF and the IAFC have the clear, factual information to educate all members of the fire service.
“Most of the stuff that’s burning inside a building these days is petroleum based, and it off-gases nasty, nasty stuff,” Goldfeder continued. “For a firefighter at any level to think that because NLC/TriData says it’s ok to breathe, it must be, is just wrong. Do not trust the smoke you’re running into, wear your PPE, don’t breath that crap, and if you get the soot on you, clean it off as soon as possible. Clean your PPE regularly to ensure it’s functioning at the most effective level. Don’t give any credibility to that report, because it was done for political motivations, and it appears that the last thing the NLC/TriData was concerned with is the facts related to the realities of cancer and firefighter safety, health and survival.”
Shannon Pieper is managing editor for FireRescue magazine.
In case you’ve been without an Internet connection for the past two weeks, this report—contrary to widely accepted beliefs and proven statistics—stated that conclusive evidence is “lacking to demonstrate a causal relationship between firefighting and cancer.” The IAFC/IAFF’s swift reaction is an indication of how important the issue is. This afternoon, I had the opportunity to talk with Chief Billy Goldfeder, chair of the IAFC’s Safety, Health & Survival Section, who’s been a very vocal protestor of the NLC/TriData report since it was released.
“I think we were all shocked when we saw the report,” Goldfeder said. “Running through my head were the names of a dozen firefighters I’ve been close to who have died in the last couple years following battles with firefighting-related cancers. It’s clear the goal of the NLC/TriData was to stall, slow down or turn around the cancer presumption movement that is appropriately, although slowly, being recognized by good elected officials.” For those unfamiliar with legal mumbo-jumbo, “presumption” refers to legislation that allows firefighters with cancer to collect workers' compensation without having to first prove that they contracted the disease as a result of their job.
Goldfeder believes the report was done with a prejudged conclusion in mind, to give city managers and elected officials leverage to fight presumption legislation. But he doesn’t think their tactics were successful. “I would think that even those who do not necessarily support presumption raised their eyebrows when they saw the recklessness and carelessness of this report,” he says. “All NLC/TriData have done is further motivate us to look out for firefighters, fire officers and issues related to firefighting and cancer.”
IAFC/IAFF Steps In
The report released yesterday was the result of a joint effort by the IAFC and the IAFF to fight the conclusions drawn by the NLC/TriData. The IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section convened a panel of academic, medical and fire and emergency service health experts to review the NLC/TriData report. That information was then reviewed by the IAFF and the IAFF information was reviewed by the IAFC to ensure fair and balanced evaluation. Their assessment is pretty damning. Some highlights:
· The NLC report uses a subjective and highly questionable methodology to review the literature on cancer among firefighters. They “hand select” which articles to review; some studies were excluded simply because they were conducted before 1995.
· The report relies on narrative review methods, which are particularly prone to bias and are widely considered inferior to quantitative review methods.
· The NLC report is reminiscent of the strategy and spin once used by the tobacco industry, which denied for years that smoking causes lung disease and that nicotine is addictive. The NLC’s paper is just as intellectually dishonest today as those cigarette company claims were back then.
· The study spends an inordinate amount of discussion on the potential “cost” of presumptive laws involving cancer, yet the authors provide no cost data to back up their claims.
This quick, emphatic, coordinated response by the IAFC and the IAFF has been immensely satisfying to watch. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way the IAFF and the IAFC came together to address this issue, and following today’s report, many other fire service organizations have indicated that they will endorse the findings,” Goldfeder notes. “But it’s a bittersweet win, because it’s atrocious that we even had to deal with this. ”
Goldefeder echoed the words of IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger in his address to FDIC attendees last week, when he said that as a result of the report, the IAFF is more determined to fight than ever. “It’s my personal opinion that this was a grave, grave mistake by the NLC/TriData, and one that will not be forgotten any time soon,” Goldfeder said. “City governments have a responsibility to take care of and protect their firefighters when their firefighters are exposed to a known environment that potentially leads to cancer.”
Bottom Line: Don’t Believe It
In this snarl of politics, of they said/we said, what’s the line firefighter to conclude? Goldfeder was adamant: “Don’t let this NLC/TriData report do anything to make you think that firefighters are not at a higher and greater risk to cancer exposure,” he said. “Nothing is further from the truth. There’s a direct correlation, there’s evidence—and the IAFF and the IAFC have the clear, factual information to educate all members of the fire service.
“Most of the stuff that’s burning inside a building these days is petroleum based, and it off-gases nasty, nasty stuff,” Goldfeder continued. “For a firefighter at any level to think that because NLC/TriData says it’s ok to breathe, it must be, is just wrong. Do not trust the smoke you’re running into, wear your PPE, don’t breath that crap, and if you get the soot on you, clean it off as soon as possible. Clean your PPE regularly to ensure it’s functioning at the most effective level. Don’t give any credibility to that report, because it was done for political motivations, and it appears that the last thing the NLC/TriData was concerned with is the facts related to the realities of cancer and firefighter safety, health and survival.”
Shannon Pieper is managing editor for FireRescue magazine.
Add a Comment
-
Comment by doyle a shelton on May 4, 2009 at 11:45am
-
This is another example of the governing agency ducking any / all responsibility to the people affected by the dangers encountered by their profession. Take the soldiiers that defend our country, and the diseases / afflictions they have to endure, as our own government denied any after-effects encountered by them after they come home. Nothing different here by the state / local guys denying it to keep from having to pay for it. The example of tobacco and the denials there are also tell-tale.
-
Comment by Alex McPhedran on May 3, 2009 at 7:02am
-
Maine has a cancer presumptive bill before the legislature this session. It cuts across all lines. I am in favor of it for that very reason. We must also rember to take care of ourselves. That means if you have HBP take your meds and exercise. Clean your gear. You know the usuals. Stay safe, Alex
-
Comment by Roy Boehm on May 2, 2009 at 10:37pm
-
Good to know that the Cities still (sic) hold the best values for us to work with.
-
Comment by Ladder on May 1, 2009 at 5:47am
-
Yet another instance of some narcasistic self serving pack of beancounters and their mindless minions at work in the hopes of saving a buck at the expense of a Brother's life...the only thing I find more repugnant than the fact that these SOBs are willing to discredit all the instances of medical proof and findings substanciating the fact that Occupational Cancer is indeed a legitimate compensation claim, is the fact that they are so bloody cavalier about it and are at this moment all nicely snuggled into their comfortable beds slumbering away as blissfully as infants...there is a place in Hell for people such as these vultures, and I hope to God that the day they are all rounded up and sent packing there that I am present to watch them as they embark upon their journey! Would be kinda nice too if a few had to stop and feel the need to ask me directions, because good little civil servant that I am ( or is that uncivil civil servant?? either way), I would be more than HAPPY to tell em where to go and how exactly to get there!
-
Comment by Shannon Pieper, FireRescue Magazine on April 30, 2009 at 4:58pm
-
Update: USFA had this to say today:
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has completed its review of a recently released study conducted by the TriData Division of the System Planning Corporation, analyzing firefighter presumptive cancer legislation and attempting to prove or disprove a correlation between firefighting activities and the occurrence of cancer. While this study is considered thoughtful and well-presented, its results are scientifically inconclusive, and indicate that more expansive study is in order.
Acting United States Fire Administrator Glenn A. Gaines noted, “The results of this report clearly indicate that more study and analysis is necessary. It is much too early to abandon presumptive laws and benefits for firefighters who present with cancers. To make such a quantum leap at this point in time may be premature.”
Added Administrator Gaines, “What is appropriate at this time is continued vigilance on the part of all firefighters to limit their exposure to toxins and known carcinogens by use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), by proper decontamination of PPE and other equipment, and by use of diesel exhaust removal strategies in fire stations throughout our nation.”
-
Comment by Tom Sellmer, Sr on April 30, 2009 at 2:41pm
-
I question the need for these so called city manager's. Been in the service some 48 years to date. Not too many years ago one never heard of a city manager. I question the cost involved to have a city manager. If the elected city officals can not handle the jobs their elected to they should be voted out of office. Just maybe they need a city manager because their out kissing you know what to get reelected instead of doing what they were elected to do. Hell we all know the from experence that firefighting is hazardous to one's health. Guess there was not a WWI or WWII either.
-
Comment by Oldman on April 30, 2009 at 11:34am
-
Ya know, back in the 70's there was illnesses among returning Viet Nam veterans which was claimed to be caused by the herbicide "Agent Orange". Long story short, there were studies done which said otherwise. It wasn't until the early 90's that it was finally concluded that this stuff really did cause these illnesses and the vets finally received compensation. The conclusions in this report are very reminiscent of that era. I hope it does not take 20 years before some actual intellectual and scientific studies prove this is indeed occurring.
-
Comment by Tom Aiello on April 30, 2009 at 10:45am
-
I personaly know of several FF's who have died of cancer related to the fire service. In my 56 yrs. of service before the Medical research on Cancer was ever started on its present level, we knew of this malady. What a sad state of affairs that some things never change and idiots publish such erroneous findings.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
You need to be a member of My Firefighter Nation to add comments!
Join My Firefighter Nation