National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer

Understanding and Reducing Cancer

Key points

  • The NFR for Cancer is a registry to study cancer among firefighters.
  • All U.S. firefighters, with or without cancer, active, former, or retired, can join.
  • Having many types of firefighters (structural, wildland, and others) join is crucial to examining relationships between firefighter activities and cancer.
National Firefighter Registry for Cancer: Understanding & Reducing Cancer

About the NFR for Cancer

The National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer is the largest effort ever undertaken to understand and reduce risk of cancer among U.S. firefighters.

NIOSH is recruiting firefighters to join the NFR so that we can better understand the link between firefighting and cancer.

Firefighters are exposed to chemicals on the fireground that could increase their risk of developing cancer. There are many unanswered questions about how cancer risk may vary across our nation's diverse fire service.

Who can join the NFR for Cancer

Images of different types of firefighters, including structural, wildland, and volunteers
All U.S. firefighters - wildland, structural, and more - can join the NFR.

All U.S. firefighters, with or without cancer, no matter their length of service can join the NFR. This includes:

  • Active, former, and retired firefighters
  • Career, paid-on-call, and volunteer firefighters
  • Structural firefighters
  • Wildland firefighters
  • Industrial firefighters
  • Military firefighters
  • Instructors
  • Fire investigators
  • Other fire service members

Participation is voluntary.

I don't have cancer. Why should I join?‎

It's important that firefighters with and without cancer diagnoses join the NFR. Having information from both will allow NIOSH scientists to compare those who develop cancer over time to those who do not. This will help us better understand the factors that contribute to the development of cancer in firefighters.

Reasons to join

Having many types of firefighters join the NFR is vital to examining the relationship between firefighting and cancer. This includes minority, female, and volunteer firefighters, as well as groups like wildland firefighters. The more researchers know about cancer, the more that can be done to prevent it.

By joining the NFR, you can:

  • Help protect your brothers and sisters in the fire service from developing cancer
  • Lessen the impact of cancer on firefighters' families and friends
  • Pave the way for new health and safety measures for future firefighters
  • Improve understanding of cancer risk among firefighters historically underrepresented in research

See latest NFR enrollment trends

View our data dashboard to see the latest trends in NFR enrollments by state, fire service specialty, and more.

Get involved

Become a Gold Helmet Department

NIOSH recognizes departments with high participation in the NFR. Gold Helmet Department receive a certificate, web badge, and social media posts to share. Gold Helmet Department.

Share information about the NFR

Share information about the NFR with firefighters you know and encourage them to join. You can find materials to share on our Communication Materials page.

Stay connected

Newsletter

Contact us

If you have questions about the NFR, please contact NFRegistry@cdc.gov.

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Content Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health