2022 -- H 7040

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LC003794

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2022, TO BE "FIREFIGHTER CANCER

AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, Casey, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Filippi, Noret,
Kazarian, Solomon, Alzate, and Shallcross Smith

     Date Introduced: January 11, 2022

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Tragically, occupational cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading

line-of-duty cause of death among firefighters. From 2015 to 2020, 75 percent of the firefighters

added to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) National Fallen Fire Fighters

Memorial died from occupational cancer; and

     WHEREAS, In response to this growing problem, the IAFF and the Firefighter Support

Network are teaming up and combining resources to tackle this growing problem and are working

tirelessly and striving daily to reduce the impact of cancer on firefighters through better education

and prevention resources within fire departments across the nation and with a particular focus on

early detection; and

     WHEREAS, According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, firefighters have a

nine percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a fourteen percent higher risk of

dying from cancer than the general United States population according to research conducted by

the CDC/National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH). The cancers most

responsible for this higher risk are respiratory (lung and mesothelioma), GI (oral cavity,

esophageal, large intestine) and kidney; and

     WHEREAS, Overall, firefighters have a greater risk of getting certain cancers than the

general public with testicular cancer being 2.02 times higher, mesothelioma being 2 times higher,

multiple myeloma 1.53 times higher, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma being 1.51 times higher, skin

cancer being 1.39 times higher, malignant melanoma being 1.31 times higher, brain cancer being

1.31 times higher, prostate cancer being 1.28 times higher, colon cancer being 1.21 times higher,

and leukemia being 1.14 times higher; and

     WHEREAS, America and Rhode Island's firefighters are dedicated public safety

professionals who often risk life and limb to protect people's lives and property. They deserve our

support and the resources necessary to do everything possible to reduce their greater chances of

being diagnosed with and perishing from cancer; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

proclaims the Month of January 2022, to be "Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month" in the State

of Rhode Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the International Association of Fire Fighters

(IAFF).

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