Submitted information: 
Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services (CCFES) has been recognized as a Gold Helmet Department by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for its participation in the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer.
CCFES joins a growing number of fire departments nationwide that have achieved Gold Helmet status and is the 12th department in Georgia to earn the recognition. With more than 300 firefighters enrolled in the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, CCFES is the largest fire department in Georgia to achieve Gold Helmet status. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the department’s continued commitment to firefighter health, safety and wellness.
The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is a voluntary registry designed to help researchers better understand the relationship between firefighting and cancer. By gathering information from firefighters across the country, researchers can study occupational exposures, identify trends and better understand factors that may contribute to cancer risk in the fire service.
“Achieving Gold Helmet status represents more than a recognition for our department. It reflects our members’ commitment to taking care of one another and helping move the fire service forward,” stated Fire Chief Dr. Michael Cunningham “The information collected through this registry has the potential to shape research, prevention and firefighter health for generations to come. We are proud that so many of our members chose to be a part of this effort.”
The department’s Gold Helmet achievement was driven by Battalion Chief Ben Holley, who oversees Health and Safety, and Captain Eric Paloski, whose efforts to educate members and promote participation in the National Firefighter Registry helped make this milestone possible.
NIOSH recognizes U.S. fire departments as Gold Helmet Departments when at least 50% of their active firefighters enroll in the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer.Michele Ice, a retired Cobb County firefighter and current NIOSH National Firefighter Registry Ambassador, has worked to raise awareness about the registry and encourage participation among firefighters in Cobb County and across the state of Georgia.
“Cancer has become one of the leading threats facing the fire service, and far too many firefighters are being diagnosed after years of answering the call,” Ice said. “The National Firefighter Registry gives us an opportunity to better understand how the job impacts cancer risk and use that knowledge to better protect future generations of firefighters.
Every firefighter who registers contributes to that research, whether they are career, volunteer, active or retired, and whether or not they have ever had a cancer diagnosis.”
Participation in the NFR is open to U.S. firefighters with or without cancer, including active and retired, career, volunteer and other members of the fire service. For more information visit https://nfr.cdc.gov.
For Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services, this achievement reinforces a commitment that extends beyond emergency response: protecting the people who dedicate their careers to protecting others.
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