Tucson Fire, University of Arizona continue years

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - University of Arizona researchers are getting a new opportunity to help reduce the cancer risk for firefighters as it is collecting samples from crews battling the wildfires in California.

The Tucson Fire Department and U of A have been said to be the tip of the spear in terms of this research - and the fires in L.A. are truly a once-in-a-lifetime scenario.

“We call it the high risk. Because when everything burns, you’re exposed to everything,” said TFD Capt. John Gulotta, a research liaison between his department and the university.

After a TFD firefighter was denied a presumptive cancer claim in 2013 - Gulotta, who was originally assigned to TFD’s safety division at the time, approached Dr. Jeff Burgess, a professor with the U of A’s College of Public Health,