BRITAIN is still “woefully behind” in the fight to protect firefighters from workplace-related illnesses, the Fire Brigades Union’s annual conference heard today.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight delegate Steve Burns said the country needed to catch up with its European neighbours after warning that firefighters are four times more likely to develop cancer than the general public.

Members gathered in Brighton overwhelmingly backed a series of motions that highlighted the work of the Decon project, which aims to provide facilities to help firefighters decontaminate and remove cancerous carcinogens after attending a fire. 

Mr Burns told delegates about the 19 rounds of chemotherapy he has received after being diagnosed with bladder cancer a decade ago.

“We know that firefighters are at much greater risk of life-changing health conditions like respiratory illness, neurological disorders, infertility and cancers,” he said. 

“It’s not new evidence, many other countries have adopted a range of safety measures, but we in the UK are still woefully behind others. We need to catch up.”

Several members shared emotional stories of colleagues who had urged the industry to act before they died from cancer and other terminal conditions.