According to Rochester firefighter and paramedic Mark Lawrence, having a good sense of humor is “almost a prerequisite” in his field of work.
On Friday, May 17, Lawrence’s sense of humor, which he described as “absurd,” could help him take home a $5,000 prize.
Lawrence will compete against five other New England firefighters in a stand-up comedy competition put on by the International Association of Fire Fighters. All proceeds from the event will go towards Firefighters vs. Cancer, a nonprofit organization that provides free cancer screenings for firefighters.
“It’s for a great cause — It’s proven that the very equipment we wear to protect us in fires is slowly killing us over time,” said Lawrence.
According to former Boston Fire Department Lieutenant Mike Foley, about 40% of all firefighters working today will be diagnosed with cancer during their careers.