The Hamilton County Ohio Fire Chiefs Association invited the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaboration to present a Train the Trainer for Firefighter Cancer Awareness and Prevention. Several members from FFSHC and Dr Natasha Solle from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center travelled to Evendale Ohio to present two classes each day for two days. The four hour class included classroom delivery of information and a gross decon practical. Thanks to technology some of the practical demonstrations were filmed “live on Facebook” for others to share and spread the message. In all, there were 116 attendees from 53 fire departments covering 3 states. The training and training materials provided by FFSHC and Sylvester will help firefighters incorporate safe and healthy work practices to help reduce firefighter exposure to cancer.

Prior to class, the FFSHC provided a picture and list of supplies that are included in the Florida Statewide Gross Decon buckets that will be distributed to 4,500  fire apparatus in 450  fire departments from a grant on behalf of the Florida Fire Marshal’s Office. The event had the support of local vendors who copied the Florida model and provided gross decon buckets and supplies to every attendee. 

Ohio became the 35th state in the nation to have cancer presumption legislation for the state's firefighters. Under the law passed in 2017, all types of cancers and their treatments would be covered under the BWC and the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund for any firefighter, full-time or volunteer, who has worked for at least six years on hazardous duty and is age 70 or younger. Unless their employer can prove otherwise, a firefighter’s cancer will be presumed to be work-related.