GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — A new non-profit in Georgetown is designed to get former firefighters access to free annual cancer screenings.
The Georgetown Fire Department Cancer Foundation has a mission to save the lives of those who spent years risking their own lives.
After losing two retired firefighters in recent years to cancer and lung disease, the department is focusing on early detection, as firefighters are at an elevated risk of developing cancer.
Johnny Jacobs and Norman Lytle, former fire department members, lost their lives in retirement. Both were deemed "line of duty deaths."
"We're wanting to take that pain that we've had to deal with in that regard and turn it into something positive. You know, those two men specifically meant a lot to me. They still do. So I think the best thing we can do to honor them is try to prevent that from happening again," Georgetown Fire Chief Tim Thompson said.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), firefighters are at a 14% higher risk of dying of cancer.
These deaths are typically linked to higher exposure to carcinogens.
In recent years, fire departments, including Georgetown, have improved health measures to limit exposure as much as possible. In Georgetown, that includes washing gear more often and not allowing gear inside the firehouse.
Those measures were not in place for older generations of firefighters.
The department hopes the foundation can raise enough money to cover the annual cost of a screening tool that can test for 51 different types of cancer. According to Thompson, the tests are about $649 per firefighter.
"Hopefully, we can get a grasp and a control on this cancer," Thompson said.
To donate to the Georgetown Fire Department Cancer Foundation, visit any Central Bank location or the department's Facebook page to find its Venmo account.
