WASHINGTON — The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (NFR) has been shut down following a reduction in force (RIF) notice to NIOSH employees that serve the program.
An email to FireRescue1 indicated the registration section of the website had been taken offline, and users trying to access it on April 1 were met with a “Service Unavailable” message. The disruption follows layoffs affecting NIOSH programs under a broader restructuring of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which has impacted staffing for several occupational safety efforts, including those focused on firefighter health. NIOSH confirmed to FireRescue1 that the program was shut down “indefinitely,” as there is no support staff left to manage the program and website at this time.
The NFR was launched to collect health and work data from firefighters nationwide. The goal of the registry is to better understand the link between firefighting and cancer, with the ultimate aim of reducing long-term health risks for those in the profession. The registry was open to all U.S. firefighters — career, volunteer, wildland, active or retired. Participants would complete a confidential survey about their service history, with data being linked to state cancer registries to spot trends and risks.
Approximately 23,000 firefighters had registered with the NFR as of March. In addition to firefighters not being able register for the NFR right now, firefighters who already registered cannot update their information or track their exposures.
What is the National Firefighter Registry?
The National Firefighter Registry (NFR) is a nationwide initiative led by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its goal is to better understand and reduce cancer risk among U.S. firefighters.
Why was it created?
Firefighters are exposed to smoke, hazardous chemicals and other toxic substances in the line of duty. Over time, these exposures may increase their risk for developing cancer. However, research has been limited due to a lack of comprehensive data. The NFR was created in 2018 to:
- Collect health and work information from firefighters.
- Study the link between firefighting and cancer.
- Help develop strategies to better protect firefighters’ health.
Why should firefighters join?
By joining the NFR, firefighters are:
- Helping protect future generations of firefighters.
- Contributing to critical research on occupational cancer risks.
- Supporting the development of better safety standards and health protections.
The shutdown of the NFR website will cause concern among firefighters, fire service leaders and advocates, and public health experts who emphasize the urgent need for continued research into cancer risks within the fire service.
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