By Cristina Johnson
For too long, firefighting has ranked among the most hazardous professions — shaped by split-second decisions and constant vulnerability to life-threatening situations. Primarily, each call thrusts responders into unpredictable environments where risks can arise suddenly and without warning. And for many families, that reality becomes part of everyday life, a steady awareness that the job’s threats are never far away. However, it is imperative to know that some dangers do not announce themselves as clearly. In communities like Archuleta County, Colorado — where both civilian and military-trained firefighters tackle structure fires, wildland blazes, and other accidents across vast rural landscapes — toxic exposure lingers even after the flames are extinguished, as smokes and chemical remnants can still lurk in gear and surfaces indefinitely.
As a result, cancer has become a devastating outcome for many in this profession, with an estimated 66% of the workforce succumbing to the disease between 2002 and 2019. Aiming to understand and address this intensifying risk better, the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer was implemented to gather crucial data on firefighters — particularly those with exposure history — and utilize them to study long-term health patterns in the fire service. However, this effort only becomes meaningful through widespread involvement, making it even more critical for first responders in Archuleta County and throughout Colorado to engage in the program.
The Heavy Cost of Firefighting for Federal, Industrial, and Military Personnel
Science has long proven that firegrounds often leave behind more than what is immediately addressed in an emergency response, as, unknown to many, significant contamination can silently persist well beyond these activities. And these lingering hazards are especially visible in Archuleta County, Colorado. In this region, wildland-urban interface fires are notorious incidents, spreading rapidly from high-risk areas like the San Juan National Forest toward Pagosa Springs and other communities. Regrettably, as these blazes advance, they can generate a thick smoke filled with toxic water vapors and numerous carcinogenic pollutants — such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter — which can envelope responders for prolonged periods and later settle into their protective gear and equipment. Over time, repeated exposure to these conditions can allow the contaminants to enter the body through inhalation, skin contact, or ingestion, where they may accumulate and eventually cause detrimental health issues — specifically cancer. Likewise, the same pattern is very evident in structural fires, which may correspondingly release an additional mix of dangerous compounds following the combustion of synthetic materials.
For military firefighters, the risk of cancer is even more pronounced, particularly since they operate within environments that are already saturated with hazardous materials. The truth is, numerous military installations in Colorado and nationwide contain aging infrastructure where substances like asbestos, fuel residues, lubricants, solvents, heavy metals, and lead may be present within the structures themselves. That is why, when fires break out in these settings, these embedded materials can be easily emitted alongside combustion byproducts, significantly increasing the level of toxic exposure for responders. Also adding another layer of concern are the armed forces’ historical reliance on aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Though previously prized for its effectiveness in fighting flammable liquid fires, this tool has since become a crisis for containing high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). And as these compositions are infamous for their persistence, their significant discharge during training and firefighting operations has consequently led to pervasive pollution across more than ten bases in Colorado — including Fort Carson — making it more difficult to remain safe from carcinogens.
Translating Firefighter Data Into Meaningful Protection
Efforts to better safeguard firefighters increasingly depend on the ability to turn their experiences into measurable evidence that can guide prevention, policy, and long-term care for directly impacted personnel. With this, the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer serves as a critical step in the aimed direction. Established in 2023 through the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018, such a centralized database seeks to compile detailed data on work histories, exposure incidents, and health outcomes of all firefighters to help researchers detect and study disease patterns as well as cancer incidence in their profession. From there, these insights can then drive improvements in protective equipment, operational safety standards, and even long-term health surveillance within the fire service.
Similarly, the registry also plays an important role in shaping policy decisions that directly affect firefighters and veterans — particularly in relation to benefits administered through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). While the Honoring Our PACT Act has already expanded presumptive coverage for several service-related conditions — allowing eligible personnel to access healthcare and disability compensation more efficiently — other illnesses, including those potentially associated with PFAS, still require clear proof linking them to occupational exposure. In this context, expanding the registry’s data becomes essential in building the scientific foundation needed to clarify these connections as well as inform future policy developments.
That need for stronger evidence ultimately underscores the importance of broader participation. As of April 22, 2026, nearly 48,000 firefighters across the country — including over 2,600 residents in Colorado — have already taken part in the registry. But though these figures indicate signs of advancement, they still represent only a small portion of a workforce that exceeds one million personnel. Increasing participation — through continued outreach, constant introduction of such a repository into training and routine processes, and support from departments and local stakeholders — can help close this gap. In doing so, each additional contribution strengthens the collective understanding of the enduring risks and moves the fire service closer to more effective protection, prevention, and care.
Cristina Johnson serves as a veteran advocate at the Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit that raises awareness of veterans’ exposure to toxic substances.