Mehlville firefighters raise awareness after colleague dies of cancer
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The men and women of the Mehlville Fire Protection District are preparing to honor one of their own.
Tina Mecey was a career firefighter who ed away on January 14 of presumptive cancer, which means it is likely she developed complications on the job. Her superiors believe presumptive cancer is a massive problem facing the entire firefighting community.
A slew of studies have shown a strong link between cancer and fire response. In Mecey’s case, she was rushing to old buildings, car accidents and other tragedies, knowing very little about the environment she was stepping into.
The Mehlville Fire Protection District says Mecey ed away eight weeks after her diagnosis. Her superiors say she was exposed to all sorts of chemicals, and the impacts are devastating.
“Eight weeks ago, she was on that fire truck. Firefighters and paramedics come into with that stuff every day, from the diesel exhaust in this engine room to being in a house fire. They do it right, they do it the way it is supposed to be done, and yet, it still happens,” said Mehville Fire Chief Brian Hendricks.
The Mehlville Fire Protection District takes the cancer danger very seriously and has cutting-edge gear to help protect against it.
A visitation for Mecey was held on Tuesday from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. at Cozean Memorial in Farmington. A funeral service followed.
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