Fighting fires is just one of the health risks firefighters endure while on the job.
Now as more and more synthetics are being used in everyday home goods, cancer risks are growing even higher for firefighters.
The Kern County Fire Department is doing everything they can to help protect its members. However, it's no easy task for the understaffed department.
The items that burn during fires can sometimes be more dangerous than the fire itself.
"The smoke is a lot more toxic, The carcinogens are abundant in the air," said KCFD Captain George Baker.
Since the department is understaffed, this results in firefighters exposing themselves to deadly environments more often.
This is causing a 14% increase in cancer rates among firefighters compared to the general public, according to the Capt. Baker.
The fire department is trying to combat that spike in its team by providing regular physicals, changing gear storage protocols and even bought specialty products to help remove carcinogens from the skin.