Bridget Peschel is reporting for the Legislative Gazette state officials have announced efforts to implement a new safety protocol for firefighters with the potential to decrease their exposure to cancer-causing contaminants by 85 percent. The decontamination protocol calls for firefighters rinsing off immediately after their work at a scene. They will be cleaned with a liquid soap solution and their gear bagged for transport. This practice will help remove contaminants, thereby reducing the negative health impacts caused by prolonged exposure. Without the procedure firefighters can carry harmful chemicals back to the firehouse or to their homes, resulting in cross-contamination. State experts will visit local fire departments this year to provide training and live demonstrations of the new protocol. In large part due to the carcinogenic toxins found in smoke, the rate of cancer-related deaths among firefighters is 14 percent higher than in the general public. Read the full story in the Legislative Gazette.