Photo Credit: Sacramento Fire Department

Firefighter Tamara Thacher passed away late Tuesday night from ‘occupational cancer,’ according to the Sacramento Fire Department. Thacher was a 31-year veteran for the department. Moreover, she had been battling cancer for a significant amount of time.

Despite being a firefighter, Thacher wore many hats in her career. Most of her time was spent at Station 5 on Broadway, but she was a training instructor and emergency medical technician. More notably towards the end of her career, she decided to help her colleagues with behavioral and mental issues.

Thacher joined the Sacramento Fire Department in 1988. She became a role model for many female firefighters due to her work and compassionate nature. Moreover, Thacher offered counseling services and visited firefighters who were working in the Camp Fire. All across California, fire departments offered their condolences, for Thacher touched many lives.

Occupational Hazards

Being a firefighter means being exposed to toxins and carcinogens that the normal populace does not face. According to the National Fire Protection Association, firefighters face a “9 percent increase in cancer diagnosises, and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths, compared to the general population in the U.S.”

Memorial services are being planned for Tamara Thacher. The Sacramento Fire Department will announce the dates shortly.