JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Today at a press conference, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation announced the receipt of a nearly $50,000 grant to CFO Patronis’ Division of State Fire Marshal to help prevent cancer for Florida’s firefighters. The grant will aid in the continuation of the Florida State Fire Marshal Cancer Exposure Decontamination Kits program.

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis said, “This first-of-its-kind partnership with Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation will help arm our firefighters in their fight against cancer. It’s critical that we create a culture of prevention and we can do that through our cancer-fighting kit program and private sector partnerships. Our communities are made safer because of our brave firefighters and we have a duty to step up for them as they do for us. While firefighters face incredible danger every day, the long-term cancer battle that many face is one danger we can help erase.”

Executive Director Robin Peters, from Firehouse Subs Public Safety said, “We work every day to ensure firefighters get the support they need and deserve. The Decon Kits program will impact firefighters across Florida who put their lives on the line for our communities each and every day. Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is proud to support the work of CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis. Cancer is a battle no firefighter should have to go through.”

The cancer-fighting kits help decontaminate firefighters’ gear after a fire and mitigate exposure to cancer-causing products of combustion. Each kit includes the tools needed for firefighters to effectively clean gear after a fire and include: