Firefighter Stair Climb at Louisiana State Capitol raises cancer awareness [Video]

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Firefighters from across the state will be at the Louisiana State Capitol climbing stairs for the Firefighter Stair Climb on Monday, Feb. 5. It’s happening from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

This event is sponsored by the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. It’s an organization that supports firefighters and their families affected by cancer.

Officials report that cancer caused 72 percent of the line-of-duty deaths for career firefighters in 2023. They added firefighters have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the general U.S. population.

The organization knows the unique challenges firefighters face as they are exposed to toxins in the line of duty. They hope to continue to raise awareness, provide support, and contribute to the well-being of …