Unanswered Maydays: Not leaving Sisters and Brothers behind!

About Unanswered Maydays: Not leaving Sisters and Brothers behind!

We are not hearing our brothers and sisters screaming "Mayday". There are three main areas where we are not answering the call for firefighters across the Nation!. These areas include Mental Health, Cancer, after the diagnosis, and Retirees. This joint venture between Houston FD and WSU Extension addresses the "firefighter" culture and provides resource experts and others to provide timely research based information.

Publisher

Mike Jensen

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Oct 2025

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Sarah and Suzanne's Cancer Journey and Workmans Comp Battle Part 1 of 2.

   Suzanne LaFollette’s fight for cancer coverage Suzanne LaFollette, a 20-year Austin Fire Department veteran, and her wife, Sarah, share how Suzanne’s cancer diagnosis changed their lives—and led to a legal fight over workers’ compensation. The conversation highlights the challenges women firefighters can face when reproductive cancers aren’t clearly covered by presumptive laws, and the importance of Suzanne’s case for others in the fire service. Episode timeline 00:00 Introduction to Suzanne and Sarah’s story 00:53 Suzanne’s 20 years with the Austin Fire Department 01:40 How firefighting becomes part of a person’s identity 02:38 Suzanne’s career as a firefighter, driver, lieutenant, and instructor 04:07 Early symptoms and the path to diagnosis 06:10 Suzanne’s initial disbelief and denial 07:55 Learning the cancer was metastatic 09:27 The impact on family life and daily routines 11:19 Newlywed plans shift to treatment and caregiving 12:01 Daily chemo and changes to work and home responsibilities 14:17 Workers’ compensation is denied during chemotherapy 15:34 Suzanne decides to fight for her case—and other women firefighters 16:02 IAFF medical support and the judge’s ruling 18:40 The financial stakes of losing coverage 21:26 Firefighters and community members rally around the family 22:47 More than 100 firefighters attend the courthouse hearing 25:30 The difficulty of asking for help 26:25 Practical support from fellow firefighters 27:55 Closing and invitation to continue the conversation in part two Lessons learned A diagnosis affects the whole family. Treatment can reshape routines, work, finances, parenting, and plans for the future. Being fit doesn’t rule out serious illness. Suzanne describes how hard it was to accept her diagnosis after years of prioritizing her health. Workers’ comp coverage can have life-changing consequences. The denial put both Suzanne’s care and her family’s financial security under pressure. Advocacy can help people who come next. Suzanne chose to pursue her case partly to make the path easier for other women firefighters. Support can be practical as well as emotional. Meals, donations, household help, and a courthouse show of support made a real difference. Asking for help is difficult—but worth doing. Suzanne and Sarah describe how much the fire service community stepped in when they needed it. IAFF newsletter link The episode discusses Dr. Wu’s IAFF medical support and the legal fight: https://www.iaff.org/news/austin-fire-fighter-wins-landmark-cancer-case/ (https://www.iaff.org/news/austin-fire-fighter-wins-landmark-cancer-case/)

2. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Sarah and Suzanne's Cancer Journey Part 2

   Unanswered Maydays — Part 2 of 2 Episode summary: In the second half of Mike Jensen’s conversation with Sarah and Suzanne Follette, Suzanne reflects on the support that made a cancer diagnosis more manageable—especially compassionate leadership, a reliable crew, and a strong support system outside the firehouse. The conversation then turns to the cumulative exposure risks firefighters face, what spouses and departments can do to help, and Suzanne’s direct advice for younger firefighters: prioritize protective equipment, choose a healthy crew culture, and build a life beyond the job. The episode closes with Suzanne sharing the inspiration behind her forthcoming poetry collection, Body Burns Slowly.Episode timeline 0:00 — Introduction to Part 2 Mike frames the conversation around how fire departments can support firefighters facing a serious diagnosis. 0:40 — Leadership during a diagnosis Suzanne describes how her battalion chief stepped in to handle leave, paperwork, and other immediate burdens. 1:50 — A chief who stays connected Suzanne explains how ongoing check-ins with injured or ill firefighters can make a lasting difference. 3:45 — Crew support and clearing the small burdens Her crew takes care of reports and station responsibilities so she can focus on her health. 4:15 — Teamwork under pressure Suzanne reflects on working with Aaron Henderson through an especially demanding period at the station. 6:10 — Looking back at occupational exposure Suzanne discusses the calls and habits she now associates with potential cancer risk, including incomplete respiratory protection. 7:20 — The challenge of measuring a firefighter’s exposure history Mike and Suzanne discuss how difficult it is to account for years of accumulated risk. 7:55 — A spouse’s perspective Sarah shares how Suzanne’s diagnosis changed her understanding of the long-term health risks of firefighting. 10:45 — Supporting firefighters’ families The conversation considers the value of helping spouses and families understand occupational health risks. 11:15 — Advice for young and current firefighters Suzanne urges firefighters to use protective equipment, advocate for safety, and seek out leaders and crews who take health seriously. 12:25 — Building a sustainable life beyond the department Suzanne emphasizes rest, supportive relationships, and avoiding unhealthy coping patterns. 14:35 — Closing reflections Sarah and Suzanne share their hope that their experience can help other firefighters and families. 15:10 — Suzanne’s poetry collection Suzanne introduces Body Burns Slowly, a forthcoming book of poems about firefighting, trauma, PTSD, and life beyond the job. 16:15 — Final thanks and future conversation The guests and Mike close the episode, with a possible future discussion centered on Suzanne’s book. Mike Jensen's contact: Mike.Jensen@wsu.edu (mailto:Mike.Jensen@wsu.edu)

3. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: When the Mayday is your own. Also Texas Firefighter Home Song 2026

   When the Mayday is your own! Life changes. We cannot deny the reality of Cancer in the Fire Service. Summary Mike Jensen, shares his personal journey with firefighter cancer, the importance of support systems like the Texas Firefighter Home, and how prevention and intervention can save lives. This episode highlights the need for systemic change in firefighter health and safety. Also, a bonus! Stay around at the end for the 2026 Texas Firefighter Home Song.

4. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Mike's Mayday

   A Bonus clip from the larger segment that describes Mike Jensen's own Mayday and the reality of Firefighter Cancer. We cannot deny the reality of Cancer in the Fire Service. Mike Jensen, shares his personal journey with firefighter cancer, the importance of support systems like the Texas Firefighter Home, and how prevention and intervention can save lives. This episode highlights the need for systemic change in firefighter health and safety.

5. 

   20 Sept 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: When the Maday becomes your own!

   We cannot deny the reality of Cancer in the Fire Service. Summary Mike Jensen, shares his personal journey with firefighter cancer, the importance of support systems like the Texas Firefighter Home, and how prevention and intervention can save lives. This episode highlights the need for systemic change in firefighter health and safety.

6. 

   30 Jul 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Bonus! Firefighters: Managing Exposure, Not Just Tactics

   Part of a longer episode, but an important concept! The conversation explores the risk and influence of firefighters, the cultural shift in the fire service, and the need to value survivability. It delves into the challenges and changes in the firefighting profession, emphasizing the importance of safety and cultural transformation. Intentionallly direct. Mike Jensen :mike.jensen@wsu.edu Takeaways Firefighters inherit and influence risk Cultural shift in the fire service Survivability must be valued Chapters 00:00 Firefighter Risk and Influence 11:39 Cultural Shift in the Fire Service

7. 

   30 Jul 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Role of Elected Officials in Reducing Firefighter Exposure

   The episode explores the impact of policy decisions, community resilience, and individual actions on reducing firefighter exposure. It emphasizes the importance of prevention and mitigation efforts in ensuring firefighter safety and survivability. Takeaways Policy decisions and community resilience play a crucial role in reducing firefighter exposure. Prevention and mitigation efforts are essential for ensuring firefighter safety and survivability. Chapters 00:00 Understanding Firefighter Exposure 03:13 Impact of Elected Officials and Policy Decisions 06:41 Community Resilience and Firefighter Safety 08:30 Interventions within Fire Departments 11:10 Individual Firefighter Actions 13:43 The Future of Firefighter Survivability MLA-Style Works Cited Brenkert-Smith, Hannah. “Trying Not to Get Burned: Understanding Homeowners’ Wildfire Risk-Mitigation Behaviors.” Environmental Management, vol. 50, 2012, pp. 1139–1151. Cohen, Jack D. “Preventing Disaster: Home Ignitability in the Wildland-Urban Interface.” Journal of Forestry, vol. 98, no. 3, 2000, pp. 15–21. Cohen, Jack D. “Reducing the Wildland Fire Threat to Homes: Where and How Much?” Proceedings of the Symposium on Fire Economics, Planning, and Policy: Bottom Lines, edited by Armando González-Cabán and Philip N. Omi, USDA Forest Service General Technical Report PSW-GTR-173, 1999, pp. 189–195. Cohen, Jack D. “The Wildland–Urban Interface Fire Problem: A Consequence of the Fire Exclusion Paradigm.” Forest History Today, Fall 2008, pp. 20–26. Dickinson, Katherine L., Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Gregory Madonia, and Nicholas E. Flores. “Risk Interdependency, Social Norms, and Wildfire Mitigation: A Choice Experiment.” Natural Hazards, vol. 103, 2020, pp. 1327–1354. Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network. “Community Wildfire Protection Plan Portal and Data Library.” Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. “Near-Building Noncombustible Zone.” IBHS. Maranghides, Alexander, and William Mell. Framework for Addressing the National Wildland Urban Interface Fire Problem—Determining Fire and Ember Exposure Zones Using a WUI Hazard Scale. NIST Technical Note 1748, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2012. National Fire Protection Association. Firewise USA®. NFPA. National Institute of Standards and Technology. “Wildland–Urban Interface Fire Group.” NIST. United States Fire Administration. “Community Risk Reduction.” USFA / FEMA. United States Fire Administration. “Fire-Adapted Communities.” USFA / FEMA. U.S. Forest Service. “Fire Adapted Communities.” USDA Forest Service. “For elected officials who want to go deeper, I would start with five resources: Jack Cohen’s work on home ignitability, USFA’s Fire-Adapted Communities material, NFPA’s Firewise USA program, NIST’s Wildland–Urban Interface Fire research, and the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network’s CWPP resources. Together, these show that wildfire mitigation is not only about saving homes. It is about reducing community risk and improving safety for residents and firefighters.” Mike Jensen mike.jensen@wsu.edu

8. 

   16 Jul 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Wildland Firefighters.

   The conversation delves into the impact of unanswered Maydays on wildland firefighters, covering mental health, cancer, retirement, and long-term health consequences. It also explores the role of community wildfire protection plans in reducing firefighter exposure. This episode introduces the concept of the"Firefighter Exposure Zone". The Firefighter Exposure Zone is a Burn, Bite, Kill You Framework concept that describes the area where upstream home, parcel, neighborhood, infrastructure, planning, zoning, and community mitigation conditions become downstream firefighter exposure. It builds from Jack Cohen’s Home Ignition Zone and NIST’s fire-and-ember exposure-zone research, but shifts the focus from structure ignition alone to the firefighter exposure consequences created when mitigation is absent or incomplete. The term “Firefighter Exposure Zone” is used here as an applied BBK Framework concept. It is not intended to replace the established Home Ignition Zone, Fire and Ember Exposure Zones, or Firefighter Safety Zone terminology. Rather, it extends those concepts by asking how upstream wildfire mitigation conditions influence firefighter exposure, survivability, and long-term health. Thank you to Alex Bregenzer, Texas A&M Forest Service for joining me today. I value Alex as a friend and colleague, and as a National Wildfire Mitigation Professional and Educator. Takeaways Wildland firefighting impacts mental health, cancer, and retirement Community wildfire protection plans can reduce firefighter exposure Firefighters face long-term health consequences from exposure These impact can be mitigated and downstream consequences can be reduced or eliminated. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Wildland Firefighting 02:18 Unanswered Maydays and Wildland Firefighters 04:14 Impact on Mental Health and Cancer 05:41 Retirement and Long-Term Health Consequences 21:02 Firefighter Exposure and Community Wildfire Protection Plans May the Mitigated Forest Be With You! Mike Jensen: mike.jensen@wsu.edu (mailto:mike.jensen@wsu.edu) Resource: U.S. Forest Service adds long-sought protections to limit health risks for wildland firefighters https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/newsroom/releases/us-forest-service-adds-long-sought-protections-limit-health-risks (https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/newsroom/releases/us-forest-service-adds-long-sought-protections-limit-health-risks)

9. 

   10 Jul 2026

   Unanswered Maydays: Clip: "Firefighter Exposure Zone" Why Mitigate

   The home ignition zone and its impact on firefighter exposure. Addressing the home ignition zone reduces downstream consequences for firefighters and increases safety. Takeaways Home ignition zone affects firefighter exposure Addressing the home ignition zone increases safety Chapters 00:00 Understanding the Home Ignition Zone 00:19 Impact on Firefighter Exposure

10. 

    10 Jul 2026

    Unanswered Maydays: Wildfire, Why Mitigate?

    The conversation delves into the critical importance of wildfire mitigation, emphasizing the Burn, Bite, Kill You framework and the role of upstream mitigation in protecting homes and communities. It explores Jack Cohen's research on home ignitability, the concept of the home ignition zone, community hesitations, shared responsibility, and the overall significance of mitigation in preventing firefighter exposures. It also introduces the "Firefighter Exposure Zone" as an area similar to the Home Ignition Zone, where firefighter exposure, (Burn and Bite) will be the most critical for firefighter downstream consequences. Takeaways Wildfire mitigation is crucial for protecting homes and communities The Burn, Bite, Kill You framework emphasizes the importance of upstream mitigation Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Wildland Fire and Mitigation 01:14 The Burn, Bite, Kill You Framework 03:23 Jack Cohen's Research on Home Ignitability 05:13 The Home Ignition Zone and Mitigation 11:41 Community and Homeowner Hesitations 13:55 Shared Responsibility and Mitigation 15:40 The Importance of Mitigation

11. 

    24 Jun 2026

    Unanswered Maydays: Upstream Factors of the Burn, Bite, Kill You Framework.

    Framework for Firefighter Safety: Burn, Bite, KillIn this episode, Mike Jensen explores a comprehensive framework—Burn, Bite, Kill—that explains how upstream decisions impact firefighter survival. From community planning to occupational exposures, discover how systemic factors contribute to firefighter risks long before the alarm sounds. Key Topics Covered: The importance of upstream decision-making in wildfire and structural fire safety The Burn, Bite, Kill framework and how it frames firefighter risks How community development and land use policies influence fire risk The role of hazardous occupational exposures, especially carcinogens The importance of mitigation efforts at the individual and community levels The impact of organizational culture on risk normalization How physical and mental health factors contribute to firefighter mortality The necessity of realistic training and operational preparedness Shared responsibility among firefighters, policymakers, and communities for safety Resources & Links: NIOSH Firefighter Safety and Health Program (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighter/) Connect with Mike Jensen: Washington State University Extension. mike.jensen@wsu.edu (https://extension.wsu.edu/) Note: This episode emphasizes systemic change and shared responsibility, highlighting that firefighter safety is shaped by decisions made long before the fire scene.

12. 

    9 Jun 2026

    Unanswered Maydays: Texas Firefighter Cancer Study - Part 1

    In this segment of the "Unanswered Maydays" we will introduce the Texas Firefighter Cancer Study from the University of Texas. We will be speaking with research engineers, Juan Alvarez, Juan.Alvarez@uth.tmc.edu (mailto:Juan.Alvarez@uth.tmc.edu), and Victoria Vidal, Victoria.Vidal@uth.tmc.edu (mailto:Victoria.Vidal@uth.tmc.edu). We will also be speaking with Captain Gabe Dominguez of the Houston Fire Department Website: https://sph.uth.edu/research/centers/swcoeh/firefighter-research/ (https://sph.uth.edu/research/centers/swcoeh/firefighter-research/) Background: In response to growing evidence of elevated cancer risk among firefighters in Texas, and in recognition of the critical need for improved occupational exposure tracking and early detection, the Texas State Legislature appropriated funds through Senate Bill 1 89th Legislature in May 2025 to UTHealth Houston to establish the Texas Firefighter Cancer Study. This two-year initiative is designed to reduce the burden of firefighter-related cancers through three projects. While each project requires a distinct study protocol due to its methodological scope and data sources, they are unified by a shared scientific framework. The overarching protocol conceptualizes firefighter cancer risk as a multi-project process, beginning with exposure to carcinogens during firefighting activities, progressing through biological alterations, culminating in cancer diagnoses confirmed by registries, and clinical cancer screening promotion campaigns.

13. 

    11 May 2026

    Burn, Bite, Kill You Framework, Mike Jensen 2026- audio with limited graphics

    The conversation explores the Burn Bite Kill You (BBK) framework, a systems-based model that explains how cumulative exposure across a firefighter's career contributes to lifelong health consequences. It delves into the stages of the framework, the impact of exposure accumulation, and the opportunities for intervention and prevention. Takeaways BBK framework for firefighter health Exposure accumulation and long-term health outcomes Questions or comments: Mike Jensen mike.jensen@wsu.edu Chapters 00:00 Introduction to BBK Framework 07:04 The Bite Stage 13:01 Visibility and Impact

14. 

    14 Oct 2025

    Unanswered Maydays-Balancing Worklife after paternity leave. Audio Only

    This is an audio only episode where we explore worklife balance after Firefighter Burns returns from paternity leave after adding a newborn daughter to their family! Althoough having a child is not an "Unanswered Mayday" , it does add stress to the alsready stressful job and balance between home life and work life.