ALBANY – U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is joining a push for a national cancer registry for firefighters – something that many local departments have fought for since the initiative was introduced earlier this year.

Schumer is co-sponsoring a bi-partisan bill in the Senate that would, for the first time ever, establish a specialized national cancer registry to be managed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because firefighters are exposed to a range of harmful toxins that make them more susceptible to major cancers – including stomach, testicular, multiple myeloma and brain cancers – Schumer said they would benefit from a nationwide database that improves monitoring of cancer incidences among career and volunteer members.

“Our brave firefighters ... are on the frontlines, risking their lives to protect our communities,” said Schumer. “That is why it so important for Congress to pass this critical legislation to establish a national voluntary firefighter cancer registry, so researchers can better track, treat – and one day prevent – the potential connections between firefighting and cancer.”