Crime & Safety

Fairfax County Firefighters to Promote Breast Cancer, Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Firefighters will wear pink shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness and don purple wristbands for Domestic Violence Month in October.

Firefighters with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will wear pink shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Oct. 1 through 14. Personnel will then wear purple wristbands in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Oct. 15 through 31.

This year is the 29th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the fire and rescue department, employees and other county organizations are joining the fight to eradicate the disease. The International Association of Fire Fighters also continues to support this cause.

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Domestic Violence Awareness Month is also in October and firefighters and other personnel will be allowed to wear a wristband to show support. On one side of the wristband is the message "Speak Out to End Domestic Violence." On the other side, "Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department."

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed among women in 2011. And according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime — and an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.

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Read more about how you can help spread awareness about breast cancer and how you can help those dealing with domestic violence issues.


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