When we think of firefighters, we think of the lives they put on the line to save us from danger. As it turns out, the greatest risk of being a firefighter in Boston isn’t burning to death or even breaking an ankle—it’s cancer. An examination of Massachusetts’ health records from 1987 to 2013 found that firefighters were at a greater risk than non-firefighters for colon and brain cancers. In March, Boston Magazine published an article on firefighters and cancer. The article calls attention to  the fact that the firefighters are breathing in particles from burning chemicals in building materials, furniture, plastics and fire retardants. Click on the link below to read:

Why Cancer Is Killing Boston’s Firefighters