health

When looking at injuries among firefighters over the last decade, we have seen a gradual decline in overall injuries (NFPA – Firefighter Injuries on the Fireground 2022).  When looking at musculoskeletal injuries specifically, most might think that low back injuries account for the majority of recorded injuries.  However, the lower extremity accounts for 19% of recorded injuries with the upper extremity accounting for 17%, the shoulder 12%, and the spine accounting for 3% (NFPA – Firefighter Injuries on the Fireground 2022).  When looking at lower extremity injuries, the knee is the most injured joint.  

According to the U.S. Cancer Statistics, which shares the prevalence of different types of cancers, including all races, ethnicities and professions, female breast cancer was the #1 leading cause of new cancer cases in 2020.