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Cancer risk:

  • Tsai RJ, Luckhaupt SE, Schumacher P, Cress RD, Deapen DM, Calvert GM. Risk of cancer among firefighters in California, 1988-2007 [2015]. Am J Ind Med 58(7):715-29. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22466. PMID: 25943908; PMCID: PMC4527530.
  • Dahm MM, Bertke S, Allee S, Daniels RD[2015]. Creation of a retrospective job-exposure matrix using surrogate measures of exposure for a cohort of US career firefighters from San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Occup Environ Med 72(9):670-7. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102790. PMID: 26163543; PMCID: PMC4576837.
  • Daniels RD, Bertke S, Dahm MM, Yiin JH, Kubale TL, Hales TR, Baris D, Zahm SH, Beaumont JJ, Waters KM, Pinkerton LE [2015]. Exposure-response relationships for select cancer and non-cancer health outcomes in a cohort of U.S. firefighters from San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia (1950-2009). Occup Environ Med 72(10):699-706. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102671. PMID: 25673342; PMCID: PMC4558385.

Biological Exposures to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and Flame Retardants:

  • Fent KW, Mayer AC, Toennis C, Sammons D, Robertson S, Chen IC, Bhandari D, Blount BC, Kerber S, Smith DL, Horn GP [2022]. Firefighters’ urinary concentrations of VOC metabolites after controlled-residential and training fire responses. Int J Hyg Environ Health 242:113969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.113969.
  • Mayer AC, Fent KW, Wilkinson A, Chen IC, Kerber S, Smith DL, Kesler RM,  Horn GP. [2022]. Characterizing exposure to benzene, toluene, and naphthalene in firefighters wearing different types of new or laundered PPE. Int J Hyg Environ Health 240:113900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113900.
  • Fent KW, Toennis C, Sammons D, Robertson S, Bertke S, Calafat AM, Pleil JD, Wallace M, Kerber S, Smith D, Horn GP. [2020]. Firefighters’ absorption of PAHs and VOCs during controlled residential fires by job assignment and fire attack tactic.
    J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 30(2), 338–349. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-019-0145-2.
  • Fent KW, Toennis C, Sammons D, Robertson S, Bertke S, Calafat AM, Pleil JD, Geer Wallace MA, Kerber S, Smith DL, Horn GP. [2019]. Firefighters’ and instructors’ absorption of PAHs and benzene during training exercises. Int J Hyg Environ Health 222(7), 991–1000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.06.006.
  • Fent KW, Eisenberg J, Snawder J, Sammons D, Pleil JD, Stiegel, MA, Mueller C, Horn GP, Dalton J. [2014]. Systemic exposure to PAHs and benzene in firefighters suppressing controlled structure fires. Ann Occup Hyg 58(7), 830–845. https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/meu036.
  • Mayer AC, Fent KW, Chen IC, Sammons D, Toennis C, Robertson S, Kerber S, Horn GP, Smith D L, Calafat AM, Ospina M, Sjodin A [2021]. Characterizing exposures to flame retardants, dioxins, and furans among firefighters responding to controlled residential fires. Int J Hyg Environ Health 236:113782. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113782

Environmental Exposures during or after Fire Responses:

Contamination Control:

  • Horn GP, Fent KW, Kerber S, Smith DL [2022]. Hierarchy of contamination control in the fire service: Review of exposure control options to reduce cancer risk. J Occup Environ Hyg 19(9), 538–557. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2022.2100406.
  • Kesler RM, Mayer A, Fent KW, Chen IC, Deaton AS, Ormond RB, Smith DL, Wilkinson A, Kerber S, Horn GP [2021]. Effects of firefighting hood design, laundering and doffing on smoke protection, heat stress and wearability. Ergonomics, 64(6), 755–767. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2020.1867241.
  • Horn GP, Kerber S, Andrews J, Kesler RM, Newman H, Stewart JW, Fent KW, Smith DL [2021]. Impact of repeated exposure and cleaning on protective properties of structural firefighting turnout gear. Fire Technol 57(2), 791–813. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-020-01021-w.
  • Mayer AC, Horn GP, Fent KW, Bertke SJ, Kerber S, Kesler RM, Newman H, Smith DL [2020]. Impact of select PPE design elements and repeated laundering in firefighter protection from smoke exposure. J Occup Environ Hyg 17(11-12), 505–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2020.1811869.
  • Horn GP, Kerber S, Fent KW, Smith DL [2020]. Management of irefighters’ chemical & cardiovascular exposure risks on the fireground.  Int Fire Serv J Leadersh Manag14:7-16. PMID: 35673618; PMCID: PMC9169513.
  • Mayer AC, Fent KW, Bertke S, Horn GP, Smith DL, Kerber S, La Guardia MJ [2019]. Firefighter hood contamination: Efficiency of laundering to remove PAHs and FRs. J Occup Environ Hyg, 16(2), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2018.1540877.
  • Fent KW, Alexander B, Roberts J, Robertson S, Toennis C, Sammons D, Bertke S, Kerber S, Smith D, Horn G [2017]. Contamination of firefighter personal protective equipment and skin and the effectiveness of decontamination procedures. J Occup Environ Hyg, 14(10), 801–814. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2017.1334904.