ST. LOUIS — Matt Bramel began volunteering with the Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District in Phelps County when he was a teenager in 1989.

“He started as a young boy, as a junior fireman, and rose through the ranks to serve as fire chief for many years,” said Joshua Hall, a family friend. 

Bramel recently retired and is now in the fight of his life, facing a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma in his lungs. 

Friends and community members are rallying behind Bramel and his family. They say he spent his entire life helping others.

Bramel also served as a supervisor paramedic in Phelps County. Even with his recent diagnosis, the longtime public servant was out helping clear tornado debris in March.

“You’ve got somebody that’s dedicated their life, giving 100% of their time to respond to emergencies for their fellow neighbor, and then you end up in Matt’s position with cancer,” Hall said.

According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, firefighters are “at an increased risk for different types of cancer due to the smoke and hazardous chemicals they are exposed to in the line of duty.”

Eureka Fire Protection District Chief Scott Barthelmass is a cancer survivor.

“We fight a fire, you’re exposed to carcinogens,” Barthelmass said. “The gear that we wear has carcinogens in it.” 

Barthelmass recalled the emotional moment he received his diagnosis.

“I was scared for my wife,” he said. “I was scared for my son.”

Barthelmass said area departments have much greater awareness about the cancer risks firefighters face than they did decades ago.

Barthelmass said annual doctor exams provided by his department led to an early diagnosis of prostate cancer. He credits the medical care he received for helping him remain cancer-free since 2020.

His department has a special machine firefighters use to decontaminate turnout gear.  Barthelmass said years ago firefighters would wear soot on their clothes as a badge of honor but now routinely shower after returning from fires. 

Hall is also an area firefighter. He said Bramel did not have the benefit of being with a department that had the resources to provide annual exams. 

“We should be getting everybody checked,” Hall said.

Barthelmass recently served as the director for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, a nationwide network of volunteers providing resources and mentoring for firefighters living with cancer.

“You get paired with someone who has had the same diagnosis that you have,” said Barthelmass.  

He found it helpful to have an exchange of questions and answers with someone who understood what he was going through.

Hall said some area departments are part of the Missouri Critical Illness Pool, a benefits program for first responders with cancer.  He said Bramel’s former department was not part of the pool.

A benefit softball game benefiting Bramel and his family is scheduled for June 14.   

An online fundraising campaign is also providing support for his family.

Hall said Bramel has no regrets about serving his community as a firefighter for more than 30 years.   

“He wouldn’t change a thing he’s done, but we should have better coverage, better protection for our firefighters,” Hall said.