Ottawa Firefighters Demand Cancer Prevention Laundry

The union representing Ottawa firefighters is petitioning the city council to allocate funds for laundry appliances in all fire stations, emphasizing their role in cancer prevention. The International Agency of Research on Cancer has classified firefighting as a Group 1 carcinogen, underscoring the need for measures to mitigate exposure to toxins found on bunker gear. Firefighters' uniforms can absorb harmful substances, posing a risk if not properly laundered at the station, thus preventing contamination of personal homes and family members.

Currently, a significant disparity exists, with only about 15 out of Ottawa's 45 fire stations equipped with washers and dryers. This lack of facilities presents a dilemma for firefighters: either use internal mail to send contaminated gear to a station with laundry, or transport their fire rigs to another station to use its facilities, which can lead to service gaps. The union president described this as a "reasonable and attainable ask" that is common in fire services nationwide.

Beyond laundry, the union also requested funding for better ventilation in gear storage areas. While the fire chief affirmed that health and wellness, particularly cancer prevention, are top priorities, he noted that facility upgrades to century-old stations would require time. The proposed budget includes investments in breathing apparatuses and a general funding increase for the fire service, though it does not address staffing concerns raised by the union regarding apparatus capacity.