National Firefighter Registry Understanding & Reducing Cancer

What is the National Firefighter Registry?

The National Firefighter Registry (NFR) is a voluntary registry of firefighters that is designed to help us better understand cancer in the U.S. fire service.
Congress mandated the NFR’s creation through the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is leading this effort with input from the scientific and firefighting communities.

“Our goal is to better understand the link between workplace exposures and cancer among firefighters.”

How will the NFR benefit firefighters?

Past studies show that firefighters have increased rates of certain cancers. However, these studies have not determined:

• Cancer rates among volunteer, female, or minority firefighters; or among sub-specialties, such as fire instructors
• How different exposures affect cancer rates
• If certain groups of firefighters have higher rates of cancer based on types and level of exposure, geography, sex, or other traits
• If certain protective measures are associated with reduced rates of cancer
• Our ultimate goal is to identify ways to reduce cancer rates among firefighters.

National Firefighter Registry Understanding & Reducing Cancer (2021-115)

Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2021]. National Firefighter Registry (NFR). By Fent K., Wepsala W., Siegel M., Mayer A., and Wilkinson A. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2021-115, https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2021115external icon