Iowa State Earns $25,000 for Firefighter Cancer Toolkit
Researchers at Iowa State University will develop a cancer prevention toolkit aimed at firefighters across the state.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Cancer
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Iowa State University received a $25,000 grant to develop a cancer prevention toolkit for firefighters called Protecting Those Who Protect Iowa. The toolkit is still in development and has not been released.
Why it matters
Firefighters face exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and a peer-reviewed study involving researcher Rui Li found contamination was substantially greater when burned fuel mixtures contained polystyrene and pine than when fuel was biomass only. The toolkit is intended to help Iowa's volunteer and rural fire departments address those risks.
The grant of $25,000 funds development of the toolkit, which draws on a 2026 peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials showing PAH contamination rose sharply when burned fuel included polystyrene and pine. The toolkit's final contents and distribution plan remain unpublished.
The players
Iowa State University
A public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, which received the grant and leads toolkit development.
Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of Iowa's NCI-designated cancer center, which is a partner in the firefighter cancer prevention program.
Iowa Cancer Consortium
A statewide coalition of organizations working to reduce cancer burden in Iowa, participating in the program.
The details
The toolkit, named Protecting Those Who Protect Iowa, is planned to include train-the-trainer materials, educational guides, training videos, and resources for documenting exposures, in Spanish and English. It is part of the Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Exposure Reduction Program, which began in July 2026 and involves the University of Iowa's Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau, and the Iowa Cancer Consortium.
Timeline
July 2026: The Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Exposure Reduction Program began.
2026: A peer-reviewed PAH study involving Li was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
Nov. 2, 2026: Iowa State announced the $25,000 toolkit grant.
Health Landscape
The toolkit extends the Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Exposure Reduction Program, which began in July 2026, by translating PAH research into practical guidance for departments. It targets a gap in resources for volunteer and rural fire services that often lack the training infrastructure of larger urban departments.
Firefighters in Iowa, particularly volunteer and rural departments, may gain access to training materials on documenting exposures and reducing contamination once the toolkit is released. The materials are planned in both Spanish and English to reach a wider range of responders.
The takeaway
Firefighters can reduce cancer risk by documenting exposures and paying attention to what is burning, since fuel composition affected contamination levels in the study. Departments interested in the toolkit can watch for its release from Iowa State University.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore the Cancer section for more on occupational exposure research.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Occupational Health & Safety.
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