Asheville Fire outlines stricter decontamination, NFPA physicals and cancer-screening guidance

Deputy Chief Chris Budzynski told the committee the Asheville Fire Department has strengthened wellness policies focused on cancer prevention, behavioral health and fitness. He described recruit training that emphasizes exposure prevention, stringent on-scene breathing-apparatus use for up to 90 minutes after a fire is controlled, scene decontamination, and station design changes that keep contaminated gear separated from living areas.

"We take firefighter wellness pretty very seriously," Budzynski said, describing new gear-washing machines and dedicated storage that reduce carcinogen exposure and a wellness curriculum that includes behavioral-health resources embedded early in training.

Budzynski said every firefighter is required to have an annual NFPA-standard physical that includes a medical history, behavioral-health screening, spirometry, cardiac fitness testing and recommendations for cancer screening based on age and risk factors. The department is coordinating with Marathon Health and the state firefighters' physician to refine which advanced screening tests should be used for the firefighter population and to ensure appropriate follow-up for employees.