Most volunteer firefighters in Texas do not get a yearly occupational health screening, according to a study by researchers at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health.
Of 326 volunteer firefighters who answered an online survey, 86, or 26.4%, reported getting a yearly occupational health screening, the paper says. It was published Sept. 29 in the journal Workplace Health & Safety and described by the university in a Nov. 12 release.
The research team works at the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness, which is housed in the school, according to Texas A&M.
How the study worked
The survey ran from August to September 2024 and was offered in English and Spanish, the university said. Besides basic background details, respondents answered 29 questions about whether they take part in occupational health screenings and what keeps them from doing so.
The barriers firefighters cited most often were cost, not knowing where screenings are offered, lacking health insurance, a lack of screenings from medical providers and limited time, according to the study. The paper's abstract says full-time employment, rurality, older age and more education were associated with reporting barriers at a statistically significant level.
Lead author Samikshya Badal, who was a graduate student with the center when the study was done, said in the release that volunteers "make up about two-thirds of the state's firefighting workforce, including most of rural Texas."
Gap in existing programs
The release notes that the National Fire Protection Association has a standard calling for comprehensive annual screenings, but adopting it is optional. It also says the Texas Legislature's HB 198, the Wade Cannon Act, directs communities to provide periodic screenings to firefighters but applies only to career firefighters.
