On the Record: Health dangers facing firefighters

RECORD.

>> GOOD EVENING, FOUR MONTHS

WRAL INVESTIGATORS LOOKED AT

THE ALARMING CANCER RATES AMONG

LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS.

EVERY DAY FIREFIGHTERS PUT

THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE AND THE

MAKE A LIVING WALKING INTO

BUILDINGS THAT REACH

TEMPERATURES OF OVER 1000

DEGREES YET THE NUMBER ONE

KILLER OF FIREFIGHTERS IS A

WOUND THEY MAY NOT FIND OUT

ABOUT FOUR YEARS.

WE ARE ON THE RECORD TO DISCUSS

THE LONG HIDDEN RISK FOR

FIREFIGHTERS.

WE BEGIN WITH THIS REPORT FROM

WRAL [ INAUDIBLE ].

>>>

>> FOR FIREFIGHTERS RISK COMES

WITH THE JOB.

A POTENT MIX OF FIRE, SMOKE,

ADRENALINE, AND DANGER.

>> IT'S CONSIDERED A BADGE OF

HONOR.

I KNOW THE RISK OF GETTING

BURNED. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD

GET CANCER.

>> THE 2016 REPORT SHOWED

MULTIPLE FIREFIGHTERS DIED FROM

CANCER.

THEY HAVE A 9% HIGHER CHANCE OF

CONTRACTING CANCER THAN THE

GENERAL PUBLIC.

>> KEITH, HAD SURGERY TO REMOVE

KIDNEY CANCER AT AGE 47.

>> IT WAS A SHOCK.

>> GREG, HAD SKIN CANCER

REMOVED WITH SIGNATURES OF

MELANOMA.

>> PEOPLE I WORKED WITH MY

WHOLE CAREER AND EVEN MYSELF

MAY DIE OF CANCER BECAUSE OF

WHAT WE CHOSE TO DO AS A

PROFESSION.

>> RETIRED CAPTAIN MICHAEL

DAVIS, RECEIVED A STAGE IV

DIAGNOSIS LAST FALL.

DOCTORS TELL HIM IT STARTED AS

LUNG CANCER ALTHOUGH HE NEVER

SMOKED A DAY IN HIS LIFE.

>> DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR CANCER

WAS CAUSED BY YOUR COURIER?

>> I DO BELIEVE HE HAS

OCCUPATIONAL CANCER.

>> I WANT OUR FIREFIGHTERS

ACROSS THE NATION TO BE ABLE TO

WALK AWAY AND ENJOY THEIR

PENSION.

THEY HAVE EARNED IT.

>> YOU GET EMOTIONAL, TELL ME

WHY.

>> IT'S KILLING US.

>> IT'S CALLED AN EPIDEMIC FROM

THE YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO ALL

PLASTICS, AND CARCINOGENS FROM

BUILDINGS.

RESEARCHERS CITE ALL THE SUIT

THAT ABSORBS INTO THE BODY.

>> ALL THAT CRAP I GOT ALL OVER

ME WHEN INTO MY SKIN.

>> WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE

FOLKS THAT LOOK AFTER US.

>> A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER HAS

PUSHED WERE INCREASED BENEFITS

BECAUSE OF THE CANCER RISK.

THEY HAVE FUNDED FOR FIREFIGHTER

RELATED CANCERS SO FAR. UNLIKE

MORE THAN 30 OTHER STATES NORTH

CAROLINA DOES NOT PROVIDE

WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION FOR

CANCER THAT MAY BE TIED TO THE

CAREER.

A BILL TO CHANGE THAT DID NOT

PASS THE LOST LEGISLATIVE

SESSION.

>> THEY ARE HAPPY WARRIORS TO

GO DO THAT BUT AT THE SAME TIME

I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT

THE FAMILIES THAT ARE LEFT

BEHIND AND THE PERSONAL COST.

>> THERE IS ALMOST IRONY THERE

BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE JOB SO IN

SOME WAYS IT GAVE YOU A GOOD

LIFE AND NOW IT COULD TAKE IT

AWAY.

>> AND SET OF FIRES DAVIS, IS

NOW FIGHTING TO STAY ALIVE.

HE AND OTHER FIREFIGHTERS WANT

TO GET THE WORD OUT BUT THE

POTENTIAL LONG-TERM RISKS OF

FIRES THERE IS -- ABOUT THE

POTENTIAL RISK OF LONG-TERM

FIRE RISKS.

>> THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT

BALLGAME.

>> CANCER IS A BIG PROBLEM IN

THE INDUSTRY.

>>

>>> FRANKIE HOBSON, IS A

FORMER SECURITY OFFICER FOR THE

DEPARTMENT AND LT.

BRENT UPTON, CURRENTLY

UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENT. MY

THANKS, TO EACH OF YOU FOR

COMING TO THIS TABLE.

LIEUTENANT, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR

CASE AND YOUR TREATMENT.

>> IT ALL STARTED IN THE

BEGINNING OF MAY I STARTED

FEELING SOME PAIN ACROSS THE

UPPER ABDOMEN AND I THOUGHT IT

MIGHT BE GALLBLADDER OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF

MYSELF.

I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO

TRY TO PREVENT IT BECAUSE I

KNOW OUR PROFESSION IS MORE

HIGH RISK FOR CANCER SO I TRIED

TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD DO TO

PREVENT THAT.

I WENT TO MY PRIMARY CARE

DOCTOR AND HE DID A BUNCH OF

TESTS. MY LIVER ENZYMES WERE

OUT THE ROOF.

HE SENT ME TO AGI PERSON -- A

G.I.

PERSON AND THEY SAID WE MIGHT

NEED TO DO A TEST ON MY LIVER

AND SAID THERE WAS CANCER CELLS

ON MY LIVER.

I HAD EXCRUCIATING PAIN FOR

ABOUT A WEEK. FINALLY I COULD

NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE AND I WENT

TO THE ER THEY STARTED GIVING

ME PAIN MEDICINE IMMEDIATELY

JUST TO HELP WITH THAT.

I HAD NOT SLEPT IN TWO WEEKS. I

WAS UP AT NIGHT WALKING THE

NEIGHBORHOOD.

I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING

ON.

BASICALLY THEY -- IT STILL UP

IN THE AIR, REALLY, BECAUSE

THEY DID ALL KINDS OF TESTS AND

THEY FOUND A REALLY SMALL SPOT

IN MY ESOPHAGUS AND THEN A

COUPLE SPOTS ON THE LIVER.

I STARTED CHEMO AND NOW I FEEL

GREAT.

I FEEL LIKE I COULD BE ON THE

TRUCK RIGHT NOW.

>> WHEN DID YOU FIRST JOIN THE

DEPARTMENT?

>> SEPTEMBER 2006.

>> THIS PAIN BEGAN WHEN?

>> END OF APRIL BEGINNING OF

MAY.

>> IT'S RECENT.

>> YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE AWARE

THAT THESE CANCER RATES ARE

HIGH WITH FIREFIGHTERS. WHEN WE

FIRST REPORTED ON THIS THERE

WERE MANY OF US IN THE NEWSROOM

AND THE COMMUNITY GOING WE HAD

NO IDEA.

>> IT HAS BEEN OUT FOR SEVERAL

YEARS.

THE WORD IS SPREADING ACROSS

THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE UNITED

STATES.

AS A PREVIOUS ROLE IN THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT I HAVE DONE TWO

YEARS AS AN OFFICER AND WE

WOULD GO TO CONVENTIONS AND

LISTEN TO WHAT IS HAPPENING.

IT BECAME REAL PREVALENT THAT

THIS WAS A BIG PROBLEM.

AT THAT TIME I GOT TO LOOKING

AROUND AT THE DEPARTMENT AND

ASKING QUESTIONS ESPECIALLY TO

RETIREES.

UNFORTUNATELY YOU SEE IT IN OUR

RETIREE POPULATION.

MORE AND MORE CASES KEEP

POPPING UP.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW BAD THE

PROBLEM WAS.

A LOT OF YOUNG GUYS LIKE BRENT

EXPERIENCE PROSTATE ISSUES AND

BLADDER ISSUES.

I REALLY FEAR THAT IT'S JUST

THE BEGINNING AND THERE WILL BE

MORE TO COME.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOW-UP

PIECES SINCE YOUR ORIGINAL

PIECE AIRED.

>> I AM JUST AMAZED AT THE

STATISTICS THAT ARE OUT THERE

RIGHT NOW.

TWICE THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH

TESTICULAR CANCER.

TWICE FOR MESOTHELIAL MIA, 50%

CHANCE FOR SKIN CANCER.

THOSE NUMBERS ARE STARTLING.

WE TALKED ABOUT A WEEK AGO

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FIREFIGHTER

REGISTRY ACT THAT HAS PASSED.

TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL DO.

>> THE REGISTRY WILL BE A

CRITICAL PIECE IN DOCUMENTING

THE PROBLEM.

ALTHOUGH IT IS VOLUNTARY

REPORTING WE HOPE THAT THE

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WILL

REPORT ON THE REGISTRY BECAUSE

IT WILL GIVE THE DATA AND THE

STATISTICS BEHIND HOW BIG THIS

PROBLEM IS.

HOW LONG THE PERSON WAS IN THE

FIRE SERVICE, WHEN THEY WERE

DIAGNOSED, THE TYPE OF CANCER,

AND IT ALSO LEADS RESEARCHERS

OUT IN THE UNITED STATES TO USE

THAT REGISTRY TO DO STUDIES ON

COVERT POPULATIONS THAT MAY BE

UNIQUE TO A CERTAIN TYPE OF

CANCER. HELP US LOOK AT THE

CONNECTION THAT TIES IT

TOGETHER.

THE REGISTRY IS CRITICAL.

WE ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE IT COME,

AND IT WILL BE YEARS BEFORE IT

GATHERS ENOUGH DATA TO BE

BENEFICIAL BUT IT'S GOING TO BE

BENEFICIAL IN THE FUTURE.

>> WHEN WE COME BACK I WANT TO

TALK ABOUT HOW THIS INFORMATION

THAT IS OUT THERE MAY OR MAY

NOT BE IMPACTING RECRUITING OF

NEW PEOPLE COMING INTO THE

DEPARTMENT.

I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT

PROACTIVE STEPS THAT THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT IS TAKING TO KEEP

THE RATES DOWN OR KEEP

FIREFIGHTERS EVEN SAFER THAN

THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.

WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN

ALARMING RATE OF CANCER AMONG

RALLY FIREFIGHTERS AND

FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

FRANKIE HOBSON, AND LT.

BRENT UPTON , CURRENTLY

UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENT.

IN THE FIRST SEGMENT WE TALKED

ABOUT YOUR CASE.

ONE THING I NEGLECTED TO ASK

YOU WAS IS THERE A HISTORY OF

CANCER IN YOUR FAMILY?

>> NOT AT ALL.

MY PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS DID

NOT HAVE ANY ON EITHER SIDE.

I JUST HAD MY DNA TESTED FOR

GENETIC TESTING TO SEE IF

THERE'S ABNORMALITIES IN THE

GENES AND THEY ALL CAME BACK

NORMAL.

THEY DO NOT THINK IT'S HEREDITY

THEY THINK IT'S SOMETHING

ENVIRONMENTAL OR EXPOSURE-BASED

.

>> WITH THIS INFORMATION OUT

THERE HAS IMPACTED RECRUITING

FOR YOUNG MEN OR WOMEN WHO WANT

TO FIGHT FIRES?

>> I AM SURE IT HAS IN SOME WAY

ESPECIALLY WITH THE WORD

PASSING NOW IN THE MEDIA.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT DIRECTLY BUT

WE ALWAYS HAVE A LARGE GROUP OF

PEOPLE THAT TRY OUT FOR THE

DEPARTMENT.

AFTER THEY ARE IN THE ACADEMY

AND WE START TALKING ABOUT THE

CONCERN IS RAISED THAT IT IS A

HUGE ISSUE.

THE GOOD THING IS WE ARE

LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT EVERY

DAY AND WE HAVE THE MEASURES IN

PLACE TO PROTECT THE ONES OF US

SET UP IN HERE 20 OR 30 YEARS

OR MORE.

THE EXPOSURES THAT WE WENT

THROUGH 20 YEARS AGO UP TO TODAY

, THE DAMAGE MAY BE DONE.

FOR THE NEW GUYS AND GIRLS WE

CAN HELP PREVENT IT FROM

HAPPENING TO THEM.

AT LEAST WE CAN REDUCE THE RISK.

>> GOING THROUGH TRAINING IS

TOUGH.

IT IS TOUGH FROM WHAT I HAVE

SEEN AND FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO

HAVE MADE IT THROUGH AND TALKED

WITH ME ABOUT IT.

TO GO THROUGH A 12 YEARS AGO,

HOW OLD ARE YOU?

>> 35.

>> YOU WERE 23 AND YOU GO

THROUGH THE ACADEMY AND THE

TOUGH PART OF THE TRAINING AND

12 YEARS LATER SOMETHING HIT

YOU THAT THE ACADEMY CAN'T STOP.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S SCARY.

IT'S REALLY SCARY.

I AM NOT ONLY SCARED FOR MYSELF

BUT I'M SCARED FOR ALL MY

FRIENDS AND COWORKERS TO NOW

THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH ALL OF

THIS AND KEPT MYSELF IN SUCH

GOOD SHAPE AND EATEN SO HEALTHY

MY WHOLE LIFE.

FOR IT TO GET ME, YOU SEE SOME

OTHER GUYS THAT DON'T DO AS

MUCH AND YOU KNOW, YOU JUST

FEEL LIKE, IT'S JUST SCARY.

>> YOU HAVE ALSO REPORTED ON

WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING

PROACTIVELY.

>> FROM A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

WE TALKED AND I THINK RALEIGH

IS VERY PROACTIVE RIGHT NOW AND

I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR

PARTICULARLY FOR SOMEONE WHO

HAS BEEN WITH THE FIRE SERVICE

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE, WHAT WAS

HAPPENING THEN OPPOSED TO

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.

WE TALKED AND IT WAS SORT OF A

BADGE OF HONOR.

YOU GO TO THE FIRE, AND YOU

COME HOME AND YOU ARE COVERED

IN SOOT, AND NOW THAT'S REALLY

CHANGED.

TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE

ARE DOING.

>> IN YEARS PAST WITH BUSIER

COMPANIES IT WAS A PRIDED THING.

WE ARE BUSY FIGHTING FIRE ALL

THE TIME.

THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING WE DID

BACK THEN.

IT WAS A PRIDE THING.

AS WE HAVE LEARNED ALL OF THAT

CERTAIN CONTAMINATION ON YOUR

GEAR IS NOT COOL NO MORE.

WE DO NOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.

YOU DON'T SEE IT LIKE YOU USED

TWO.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY

HAS DONE -- TO. ONE OF THE

THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS DONE

IS YOU GET A SET OUT CHANGE AND

WASH YOUR PRIMARY SET OF GEAR.

10 YEARS AGO WE WASHED OUR GEAR

ON THE SIDEWALK OR OUT ON THE

CONCRETE WITH A WATER HOSE AND

BRUSHES AND SO.

TODAY AND IN ABOUT ANOTHER TWO

OR THREE WEEKS EVERY FIRE

STATION WILL HAVE AN EXTRACTOR

INSTALLED. IT'S A HUGE

COMMITMENT BY THE CITY TO

SUPPORT US WITH THOSE MACHINES.

THEY ARE EXPENSIVE. YOU CAN

IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE

HAVE SPENT.

>> WHEN YOU ARE OUT THERE

FIGHTING FIRES WE SEE IT, THOSE

OF US THAT DON'T DO THIS THE

OBVIOUS OF WHAT YOU ARE UP

AGAINST.

WE BELIEVE WE SEE IT.

WE SEE THE FLAMES, I KNOW

YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT A ROOF

COLLAPSING, BACKDROPS, ALL

SORTS OF THINGS HAPPENING.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE DON'T

SEE THAT ARE THE GREATEST

CONCERN WHEN YOU ARE ON THE JOB?

>> ALL OF THOSE YOU MENTIONED

ARE STRONG.

YOU GO INTO THESE BUILDINGS AND

SOMETIMES NOT KNOWING THE

BUILDING OR THE LAYOUT AND THAT

KIND OF THING AND YOU ARE GOING

IN THERE AND YOU CAN'T SEE

ANYTHING.

YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR HAND IN

FRONT OF YOUR FACE YOU RELY ON

YOUR SENSES.

SOME TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE WITH

THERMO IMAGING IS MUCH BETTER

TODAY.

YOU GO INTO THESE BUILDINGS

BLIND.

>> HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WAY

AROUND?

YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR HAND IN

FRONT OF YOU.

YOU HAVE A MASK ON YOU HAVE A

TANK ON.

>> IT'S THE BASICS WE TEACH AND

ACADEMY WE GO IN ON A RIGHT-

HAND WALL OR LEFT HAND WHILE

YOU STAY CONNECTED TO THAT

WALL.

THERE IS A SEARCH PATTERN AND

WE WORK OUR WAY AROUND.

WE ALSO HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE

CARRY WITH US.

YOU CAN TIE OR ANCHOR ON THE

OUTSIDE.

IF WE GET IN A BIND WE CAN USE

ROPE TO FIND OUR WAY OUT OF THE

BUILDING.

IF YOU HAVE A HOSE WITH THE YOU

CAN FOLLOW THE HOSE OUT.

IT IS AN EERIE FEELING WHEN YOU

ARE BASICALLY LOST INSIDE.

I REMEMBER A FIRE FROM 20 YEARS

AGO HERE IN CAMERON VILLAGE WE

WENT DOWN INTO A BASEMENT BLACK

SMOKE TO THE FLOOR AND THERE

WAS A SLIDE BEHIND THE STEPS.

THE FIRST STEP WE TOOK WE WENT

DOWN AND HIT THAT SLIDE.

YOU TURN SEVERAL SLIPS GOING

DOWN AND YOU LANDED ON THE

BOTTOM WITH A ROOM FULL OF FIRE

AND SMOKE.

YOU HAVE LOST ALL YOUR

CONNECTION TO THE WALL.

WE GOT TANGLED UP IN THEIR AND

SOME WIRE THAT WAS USED AND IT

WAS SCARY.

IT DOES HAPPEN.

>> YOU ARE ALWAYS WATCHING EACH

OTHER'S BACK.

NOW YOU ARE WATCHING HIS BACK

FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.

>> NOT JUST HIS BACK ALL 600+

FIREFIGHTERS IN THE DEPARTMENT.

EVERYBODY.

>> WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER

BREAK.

WHEN WE COME BACK I WOULD LIKE

TO GET YOUR INSIGHT ON WHY YOU

CHOSE TO DO WHAT YOU DO.

WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>>> WHERE TALKING ABOUT CANCER

RATES WITH FIREFIGHTERS.

WE HAVE FRANKIE HOBSON, AND LT.

BRENT UPTON WITH US.

YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT 12 YEARS NOW AND YOU

ARE UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENT.

>> WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT

TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF. YOU

PAID ATTENTION TO THE RISK OF

FIREFIGHTERS.

WHEN HE FIRST CAME ONTO THE

FIRE SERVICE DID YOU HAVE ANY

CLUE THAT THE DANGER YOU ARE

FACING NOW IS WHAT YOU WOULD BE

FACING?

>> NOT AT ALL.

YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE STUFF

YOU SEE ON TV AND MOVIES AND

THAT'S THE DANGER GOING UP

AGAINST NONCANCER WHEN YOU

DON'T SMOKE, YOU DON'T DRINK

EXCESSIVELY, YOU DON'T RUN

YOURSELF DOWN.

YOU TAKE REALLY GOOD CARE OF

YOURSELF AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN

YOU HAVE A PAIN IN THE NEXT

WEEK YOU'RE IN THE HOSPITAL AND

THEY SAY YOU HAVE CANCER IT

JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

>> DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR EXPOSURE

OVER THESE YEARS ON THIS JOB

--.

>> IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING TO DO

WITH HIS JOB I DON'T KNOW WHAT

ELSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

LIKE I SAID I WORK OUT ALL THE

TIME I TRIED -- I EAT RIGHT.

I HAVE NEVER WORKED AT A

CHEMICAL PLANT WHERE I HAD

EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S GOT TO BE

LINKED SOMEHOW.

>> CHIEF, AS HE PUSHED FORWARD

AS THE DEPARTMENT PUSHES FOR

HERE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY YOU

TALKED ABOUT LITTLE THINGS THAT

ARE HAPPENING THE HAVE A CLEAR

MOTIVE EFFECT THAT COULD BE --

CUMULATIVE EFFECT THAT COULD BE

CAUSING THIS.

>> WE WANT TO LIMIT THE EXPOSURE

. WE WORK EXTENSIVELY IN

LOOKING AT GLAD -- GLOVES AND

HOODS. WE HAVE BLOCKING HOODS

AND THEIR TESTING FORCE TO

PROVIDE THE BEST THERE IS OUT

THERE TO PROTECT THE GUYS.

THOSE ARE JUST LITTLE THINGS

THAT WE CAN DO THAT WILL ADD UP

OVER THE YEARS.

EVEN THE DESIGN OF THE OPERATOR

AS -- APPARATUS WHEN SPENDING

TIME IN THE TRUCK.

WE DID LITTLE THINGS LIKE

CHANGING THE COVER OF THE

SEATS.

WE WENT FROM CLOTH TO VINYL TO

HELP REDUCE THE CONTAMINANTS

ABSORBING IN THE SHEETS --

SEATS AND RE-EXPOSING THE GUYS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT NEW EQUIPMENT

THAT DOES NOT ABSORB THE

PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION AS BAD.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN

HELP NOW. WE HAVE DISCUSSED

BENEFITS THAT ARE NOT THERE

RIGHT NOW.

WHAT CAN HELP YOU?

>> A BIG PIECE IS TO INCREASE

THE TESTING THAT WE DO AS FAR

AS PREVENTATIVE TESTING.

CURRENTLY WE GET A PSA TEST

DURING OUR ANNUAL PHYSICALS BUT

THERE IS MORE.

THERE IS MANY OTHER SCREENINGS

WE COULD DO TO HELP FIND THESE

CANCERS EARLY ON.

EARLY DETECTION IS THE KEY.

BRENT, IS TRYING TO GET WHAT HE

NEEDS TREATMENT WISE STARTED AS

SOON AS POSSIBLE.

>> DO YOU NEED THE SUPPORT OF

CITY GOVERNMENT, STATE

GOVERNMENT TO PUSH THESE

PROCEDURES OUT THERE?

>> I THINK THERE IS A MIXTURE

OF BOTH.

THE CITY IS DOING WELL.

WE ARE DOING A LOT AND WE ARE

CONSTANTLY ASKING FOR

INFORMATION TO MAKE THE

PHYSICALS BETTER EVERY YEAR.

ON THE STATE LEVEL AND

LEGISLATIVELY, WORKMAN'S COMP,

WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGES TO THE

LAWS THAT COVER WORKMEN'S COMP.

WE WANT YOU TO GO BACK AND BE

ABLE TO HAVE TREATMENTS AND

COVERAGE.

>> HOW IS YOUR HEALTH BY THE

WAY?

>> IT IS THERE.

I DO HAVE SOME LUNG ISSUES.

I GREW UP AS A BRICKLAYER AND

THERE WAS A LOT OF BRICK DUST.

I'M NOT SURE WHICH WAS WORST.

AS A FIREFIGHTER I'VE BEEN TO A

LOT OF FIRES.

ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO I STARTED

HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING AND

GETTING AIR OUT.

I SEE A PULMONOLOGIST AND I

HAVE RESTRICTED AIRWAY DISEASE.

HE SAID IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED

TO THE SMOKE FROM FIRES.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR

27 YEARS AND YOU HAVE BEEN

DOING THIS FOR 12, WHAT DREW

YOU TO THIS?

WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE A

FIREFIGHTER?

>> THE PASSION FOR HELPING

PEOPLE.

ONCE I STARTED VOLUNTEERING AT

HOME FOR YEARS BEFORE JOINING

AND AS A VOLUNTEER JUST SEEING

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY

AND THE THINGS YOU DON'T READ

OR DON'T SEE, WE RESPOND TO --

TO HAVE THAT FEELING TO HELPING

SOMEONE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE IN

THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE.

WE CAN GO IN AND MAKE A

DIFFERENCE.

THAT'S AWESOME.

>> I PIGGYBACK WHAT CHIEF SAID

JUST KNOWING EVERY SINGLE DAY

YOU GO TO WORK YOU CAN HELP

SOMEBODY VERSE POSSIBLY SAVE

SOMEONE'S LIFE.

THAT WAS IT FOR ME.

I WENT TO COLLEGE AND I KNEW I

DID NOT WANT TO SIT AT A DESK

FOR MY WHOLE CAREER.

I LIKE BEING PHYSICAL, LIKE

DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.

I WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE LEAD I

FEEL LIKE WHAT BETTER WAY. YOU

GET HELP ON THE EMS SIDE OF IT

AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO

HELP WE GET A CALL.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING WORK.

>> IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING

TALKING WITH YOU.

I THINK YOU, FOR COMING IN AND

SHARING YOUR PERSONAL STORIES

OF WHAT YOU ARE UP AGAINST AND

DOING WHAT YOU DO.

COLIN, THANK YOU, WE WILL

CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE.

WRAL INVESTIGATES CONTINUES TO

LOOK AT THIS.

HOPEFULLY, THE RELIEF THAT YOU

ARE SEEKING WILL BE THERE AND

MAYBE THIS CAN BEGIN TO BE

TURNED.

FRANKIE HOBSON, THANK YOU, LT.

BRENT UPTON, THANK YOU.

WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>>> WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM

YOU WITH YOUR SUGGESTIONS,

CRITICISMS, WHATEVER YOU WOULD

LIKE TO SAY.

YOUR REACTION TO TWO NIGHTS

PROGRAM.

YOU CAN TWEET US AND EMAIL US.

YOU CAN SNAIL MAIL US AS WELL.

WE THANK YOU, FOR JOINING US

HOPEFULLY YOU WILL NEVER NEED

THE SERVICES OF THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT BUT IF YOU DO YOU

WILL BE WELL SERVED.