HOUSTON – A $5 million budget has been approved by lawmakers to study cancer risks among firefighters.
The biennial budget was championed and pushed through the legislative process by Rep. Jared Patterson, Rep. Lacey Hull, and Rep. Stan Kitzman.
The cancer research will be conducted at the University of Texas Health Houston Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. Texas firefighters will be examined for their health risks, particularly cancer, and explore the work-related exposures that may contribute to those factors.
“This is a major win for every firefighter in Texas -- and for the families who depend on us to come home safe,” said HPFFA President Patrick “M” Marty Lancton. “We fought for this because job-related cancer is devastating our profession. This research will help identify job-related risks and drive real solutions. It will save lives.”
Researchers will examine the following:
- Work histories of new, active and retire firefighters
- Air samples from fires to assess exposure to cancer-causing chemicals
- Cancer trends and diagnoses using data from the Texas Cancer Reqistry and other sources
- Policy and health recommendations to reduce cancer risk and improve early detection.
UTHealth Houston must deliver interim findings to the Texas Legislature by Dec. 31, 2027, helping lawmakers to use data to shape health and safety protocols for firefighters in the next session.
“This is about honoring firefighters we’ve lost and protecting those still on the job,” Lancton said.
As firefighters, we are regularly exposed to dangerous chemicals like arsenic, asbestos, and many others known to cause...
Posted by Houston Fire Department on Sunday, June 1, 2025