Risk of death among Honolulu fire fighters

To examine possible health risks associated with fire fighting, a 20-year Proportionate Mortality Ratio (PMR) study was conducted involving all male fire fighters with at least one year of service in the City of Honolulu Fire Department. The observed cause of death, as determined by the death certificates, was compared statistically to the expected numbers of deaths for all males over age 20 in Hawaii's general population. Significant increases in risk of death were found for brain cancer (Risk Ratio = 3.78), prostate cancer (Risk Ratio = 2.61), and cirrhosis of the liver (Risk Ratio = 2.3). A significant decrease in mortality was found for lung disease with a risk ratio of 0.37. No deaths were attributed to suicide nor to a category which included allergic, endocrine and nutritional diseases. Since fire fighters are known to suffer exposure to carcinogens and toxins, additional studies would be helpful in order to clarify possible risks to health associated with fire fighting on a long-term exposure basis.