ROSEVILLE, Calif. — The family of a Roseville firefighter who died after complications from job-related cancer is remembering his life.
January is known as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, and the Roseville Fire Department is sharing what they're doing to prevent others from getting cancer.
At the age of 17, Tracy Chimenti fell in love with fire service and began serving on a student fire crew.
"He loved to serve and help people. He was very compassionate and caring," said Karen Fitzgerald Chimenti, the wife of Tracy Chimenti.
Karen remembers when he started his career with the Roseville Fire Department back in 1982. After almost 30 years of service, he was diagnosed with job-related pancreatic cancer in 2011.
"He experienced 37 chemos over the two-and-a-half years he survived that illness. And there was highs, highs and lows. But this type of cancer is one of the more painful types of cancer you can get," said Karen.
The father and husband lost his battle in 2014, just two years after retiring.
According to the International Association of Firefighters, 94% of line-of-duty deaths among professional firefighters are the result of occupational cancers.
"There's a multitude of reasons as to why cancer is caused among firefighters, but I think the very obvious ones are the products of combustion, especially with building construction nowadays. The materials that are being used are obviously off-gassing and those off-gassing chemicals cause us cancer," said Angel Mota, communications director of Roseville Firefighters Local 1592.
Firefighters are also exposed to more carcinogens and have a much higher risk of cancer. Other reasons may include chemicals in protective gear and in the foam used to put out fires. As a result, the Roseville Fire Department is taking precautions to prevent cancer.
"We have exhaust recovery systems like the plymovents. And that's to keep the diesel exhaust from being in the apparatus bay where firefighters can breathe it, where it could get on their turnouts. We give them two sets of turnouts, so they always have a clean set. After they've had a fire, we wash it in a special machine called an extractor," said Michael Bradley, Division Chief of Fire and Life Safety at Roseville Fire Department.
The fire department says this Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to put protective measures into practice.
"Re-up ourselves and train ourselves and educate ourselves on how to reduce cancer awareness within the fire service," said Mota.
They're also reflecting on the loved ones lost and giving extra support to their firefighting families.
"He loved his career of helping people and told us and a couple of friends who were over at the time that he had a really good life. And he appreciated all the advantages that he took in life," said Karen.
The Roseville Fire Department says one of the long-term improvements includes adding a clean room to their new fire station. It's a place where firefighters will go to take off their gear, take showers and get into clean uniforms after a structure fire.
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