BCPFFA Is Raising Awareness On Cancer Rates Among Fire Fighters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          January 20, 2022                                                                     

Research shows that fire fighters are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with certain types of cancer than the general public – a trend that fire service organizations hope to reduce. (Fire Fighter Cancer Support Network).

The British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (BCPFFA), an affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) are partnering to deliver targeted education about best practices and resources to prevent and reduce cancer among fire fighters during “Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month in January”.

The month-long campaign includes training briefs and a focus on prevention and mitigation, including the scope of the cancer in the fire service, best practices for prevention and skills to help survivors of occupational cancer.

These topics are reinforced with online resources, such as daily training information and infographics that promote the program and underline the importance of the issue on social media, as well as podcasts addressing the important issues of prevention and documentation of exposures to carcinogens. Visit facebook.com/bcpffa 

"Ensuring the health and well-being of fire fighters is our top priority so we can keep our fire fighter families and communities safe. Further education is necessary as is more assistance and resources for fire fighters when it comes to navigating an occupational cancer diagnosis. Working together with Fire Service leaders, the BC government, and WorkSafeBC on prevention and education will increase cancer awareness and save lives." says President Gord Ditchburn.

Several best practices and policies centred around Cancer Awareness and Prevention among fire fighters need to be implemented in all Fire Departments and are listed here on the FCSN’s Resource Library. 

The BC Government in 2005 enacted legislation that presumes certain cancers and recognized illnesses/diseases are occupationally related to fire fighting. Fire fighters must meet certain cumulative periods for each cancer/disease to engage the workers compensation process and receive the benefits of the presumptive coverage.  While BC currently recognizes 13 different types of cancers as occupational among fire fighters, Ditchburn says “we are sadly falling behind many other provincial jurisdictions; there's room to add several more cancers as science confirms their link to our dangerous profession”. 

The Primary Sites for cancers that are recognized in this BC Workers Compensation Act are: Bladder, Brain, Breast, Colorectal, Esophageal, Kidney, Leukemia, Lung. Multiple Myeloma Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Prostate, Testicular, Ureter. During our 2022 Legislative lobbying effort, we will again be asking the BC Government to recognize an additional five cancers - Pancreatic, Thyroid, Penile, as well as female reproductive cancers - Cervical and Ovarian. In addition, we are seeking to reduce  the cumulative periods for Colorectrol, Testicular to 10 years (from 20 yrs) and Esophageal to 15 years (from 20 years). It is paramount that we address the cancer risk for all members.” says Ditchburn.  

BCPFFA is raising awareness on cancer rates among Fire Fighters

According to the IAFF database, eighty-four (84) BC Professional Fire Fighters have died from recognized occupational cancers in the past, cancers formally deemed to have resulted from workplace exposure and were covered under WorkSafeBC. “Our members are increasingly being diagnosed with cancer as a result of on-the-job exposures. We have had the sad duty of adding far too many of their names to the Line of Duty Death list of our BCPFFA Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial,” says President Ditchburn. “That’s why we have partnered with the IAFF and FCSN to establish January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month – to give our hard-working members the most up-to-date guidance and data that will allow them the opportunity to enjoy a long, safe career and a healthy retirement.”

Source IAFF

Source IAFF

-30-


MEDIA CONTACT

Gord Ditchburn

President BC Professional Fire Fighters Association

e: president@bcpffa.org 

c: 604.916.7100



ABOUT THE BCPFFA

Established in 1929, the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (BCPFFA) is an affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).  The BCPFFA is comprised of 53 IAFF locals who represent over 4,200 professional men and women fire fighters, dispatchers, prevention officers and support members in BC, including the Yukon. 

Thank you for the Support

Thank you for purchasing your Bright Nights 50/50 tickets in support of the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund. Thanks to your help, the jackpot reached $523,685 and donations made through this fundraiser totalled $34,162.76!

Congratulations to winner J. Griffin of Vancouver who has won $261,842.50!

The BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund faced a challenging year in 2021. Online donations were down 40% and freezing temperatures stopped the Bright Nights Christmas Train in its tracks, forcing the Burn Fund’s largest annual fundraising event to close. Then in the final week, theft of the main power connection forced the premature cancellation of this beloved holiday tradition.

Every person who purchased Bright Nights 50/50 tickets is a winner. Your ticket purchase helped recoup important funds typically raised through Bright Nights in Stanley Park.

Your support makes a meaningful difference in the lives of burn survivors. We hope that you have the satisfaction of knowing that your ticket purchase directly helps survivors by funding supportive programs, paying for vital medical equipment, and even offering families accommodations when they need it most.

We look forward to welcoming our community back to Bright Nights in Stanley Park next holiday season for its 25th anniversary. An extension of our favourite holiday event, the Bright Nights 50/50 will also return in November 2022 for its third year - in what will certainly be its best year yet!

Thank you for your generous support.

Bright Nights Train stopped in its tracks due to suspected theft

UPDATE: December 31 2021 @ 16:17

This morning the Vancouver Park Board Team was thrilled to fix the train’s mechanical issues brought on by freezing temperatures this week. In a routine run through of the train this afternoon, Park Board Staff discovered that the Bright Nights Train route was in the dark. The train and lights are perfectly intact, however the main power source has been subject to suspected theft, effectively canceling Bright Nights for the remainder of the season. The matter is now pending further investigation with VPD.

The Vancouver Park Board and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund are devastated that the public will not have a final opportunity to experience the magic of Bright Nights this year - a year in which Bright Nights in Stanley Park faced many challenges. 

The Vancouver Park Board created a virtual train experience earlier this season which they wish to share with the public. Bright Nights in Stanley Park is the Burn Fund’s single largest fundraising event. The charity is asking the public for support with its Bright Nights 50/50 - the deadline is midnight tonight."

 

Virtual Bright Nights at Stanley Park

 

"It’s truly heartbreaking,” says President Gord Ditchburn. The year has been hard enough and now a suspected theft has occurred which is well beyond our control. From extreme weather conditions, covid restrictions and now this, 2021 has been a year of challenges and barriers. Fire fighters across our Province look forward to putting on Bright Nights every year for the community, raising funds to help support burn survivors across BC & Yukon. This final setback is devastating.”

The public can still support the Burn Fund by visiting this link to Bright Nights 50/50: https://trellis.org/bright-nights-5050?utm_campaign=cc31 or making a donation www.burnfund.org/donate

MEDIA CONTACT
Nicole Clark, Director of Communications
BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund
E: communications@burnfund.org

Burn Fund focused on Bright Nights 50/50 following decrease in online donations

For Immediate Release                                                             

Burn Fund focused on Bright Nights 50/50 following
decrease in online donations 

Vancouver, BC –With online donations down by 40 per cent this holiday season, the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund is calling on the public to support the Bright Nights 50/50. Today the jackpot surpassed a milestone of $200,000. The Burn Fund hopes to make it to $1 million by New Year’s Eve.

“The Burn Fund relies on its holiday fundraisers to cover the costs of programs for burn survivors year-round. Our charity receives no government funding and depends on the support of generous donors and the public through fundraisers like the Bright Nights 50/50,” says Gord Ditchburn, President, BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. 

The charity of BC’s professional fire fighters is also seeing losses at Bright Nights in Stanley Park, which re-opened this year following its closure in 2020 due to Covid-19. This year, capacity at the event is 50 per cent, and with weeks of rainy weather donations at the gate are down by 70 per cent compared to 2019. 

Proceeds from the Bright Nights 50/50 directly fund vitally needed programs for burn survivors - from accommodation through the Home Away Program and counseling for families who have been through a traumatic experience, to the beloved Burn Camp for kids - these programs would not be possible without the public’s support. 

Tickets for the Bright Nights 50/50 are one for $15, three for $40, and six for $60. The deadline is New Year’s Eve with the draw taking place on January 10, 2021. Tickets can be purchased at trellis.org/bright-nights-5050 or burnfund.org.

ABOUT THE BURN FUND: Established in 1978 by the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, the Burn Fund is supported by more than 4,000 professional fire fighters from 53 communities in BC and the Yukon. These fire fighters donate their time and skills to support burn survivors. They also work to increase the public's knowledge about fire and burn prevention. The Burn Fund Executive and Board of Directors are represented by professional fire fighters, medical staff, and volunteers from across BC. 

PHOTO ASSETS: Available via this link


MEDIA CONTACT
Nicole Clark, Director of Communications
BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund
P: 778.789.0820
E: communications@burnfund.org

6th Biennial Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial is Postponed

To all BC Affiliate Locals,

Re: Postponement of 2022 Fallen Fire Memorial 

As a result of the most recent BC Government COVID-19 announcement imposing additional restrictions, the BCPFFA Executive Board has made the difficult decision not to proceed with the 2022 Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial. 

In addition, the decision was made to conduct the 2022 Robert E. Hall Legislative Conference in a virtual format. Details will be forthcoming on this annual event in the coming weeks. 

These decisions reflect our desire to ensure the safety of our membership and their families and are consistent with widespread measures that medical authorities are recommending to minimize transmission of the COVID-19 virus. It is our hope that we will be able to gather in person to honour our Fallen Members in March 2023 without the current restrictions and uncertainties that we are currently facing. 

Registration information for the Robert E. Hall Legislative Conference will be updated in the new year, in the meantime please direct any questions to Karyn Rose admin@bcpffa.org.