Firefighter Health Frontiers: With Dr. Jeff Burgess

Firefighter Cancer & PFAS: Dr. Jeff Burgess on Exposure Reduction, Decon, and the FFCCS

Travis interviews Dr. Jeff Burgess, professor and director of the Firefighter Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, about firefighter wellness with a focus on cancer and occupational exposures. Burgess explains his background in emergency medicine, toxicology, and occupational medicine and how fit-testing and medical surveillance work with Tucson and Seattle fire departments led him into firefighter health research. They discuss ongoing cancer risks from inhalation and skin absorption, PFAS “forever chemicals” from multiple sources (gear, contaminated drinking water, AFFF, and fire response), and emerging concerns such as reproductive and neurodegenerative effects. Burgess emphasizes practical exposure reduction: on-scene soap-and-water washdown (shown to cut urinary chemicals by over 30% and lower at least one PFAS), prompt gear removal and laundering, glove use when handling dirty gear, and wearing SCBA during overhaul to reduce asbestos exposure linked to mesothelioma. They also cover protections for fire investigators and highlight the Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study (FFCCS), launched in 2018 with 8,300+ participants across 32 states, which collects repeated blood and urine samples to track exposures over time; more info is available at ffccs.org.

00:00 Meet Dr Jeff Burgess

00:46 Career Path Into Research

02:12 Why Firefighters

05:17 Whats New In Cancer Risk

07:49 PFAS Beyond The Gear

11:41 Decon Showers And Washdown

15:27 Clean Cab And Bagging Gear

18:19 PPE For Dirty Gear Handling

20:04 SCBA During Overhaul

21:35 Investigator Exposure Protection

27:34 Firefighter Cohort Study Explained

31:32 Enroll And Closing Resources