Firehouse Cancer Supplement – Survivor Story: Battalion Chief Jeff Novak
Battalion Chief Jeff Novak has been with the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department for 25 years, currently serving in Battalion 1. He was diagnosed with non-invasive, low-grade, transitional cell bladder cancer in October 2015. He is now in remission.
Novak explains that he learned that he had cancer in a rather nontraditional way—through the use of cancer dogs. The news sent him and his doctors on an uneasy search to determine the type of cancer. Novak explains the situation that ultimately led doctors to locate his cancer, why he believes his cancer is a direct result of firefighting, and what he believes firefighters should do to reduce their risks: “I would like to see all firefighters treat fires more like a hazmat scene to reduce their exposure to the carcinogens that are produced in modern-day fires. Keep your SCBA on during overhaul, do decon on scene immediately, and then follow up with a more detailed decon when you get back to the station.”
Firehouse thanks our Keystone Sponsor, MSA, and all our Cornerstone Sponsors for helping fund this project to better inform you about one of the most dangerous parts of the job.
