Firefighter & Board member of the San Francisco Firefighter Cancer Prevention Foundation
I am Arlene Nuñez. I am currently a firefighter on Engine 40 and on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Firefighter Cancer Prevention Foundation since July 2019. I joined SFFD on April 24, 2017. I was a probationary firefighter on T6 and E23, and I spent 1.5 years at Station 13 as a vacation relief firefighter. That is where Matt Alba, my high school classmate (Go Wildcats!), was a detailed boss for the day. Matt and I were catching up on old high school memories and friends when my previous career caught his interest.
Prior to becoming a firefighter, I was a research scientist for about 20 years. My field of expertise and my Master’s degree is in Molecular Microbiology. I can detect human, animal and plant pathogens from their DNA/RNA, and I am also able to culture the pathogens to show they are alive and infectious. I have worked at UCSF on HIV/AIDS research, the CDC on Bio Warfare detection and WMD surveillance, and multiple local Biotechnology Companies in their R&D Divisions as a Sr. Scientist. I worked closely with the FBI, EPA Special Agents and the Military while working for the CDC and Biotechs to design and develop robust and reliable detection systems/devices for deadly human pathogens/diseases. I hold many Intellectual Property filings and a US patent in Salmonella enteritidis detection on surfaces.
The question I get asked frequently is “What made me want to become a firefighter if I already had a career?” The answer is simple: The two professions are very similar from my perspective. They are both exciting and dangerous jobs. One is just a lot more physical than the other. Both molecular microbiology and firefighting are also heavily science based, where it seems as though I cannot get away from science.
As much as I thought that I hung up my research scientist hat for good, Matt Alba presented my background knowledge to the SFFCPF Board and presented to me what the Foundation does. The SFFCPF was starting to participate in more cancer research studies. I was highly impressed with everyone and their roles on the Board of Directors. My first introduction to SFFCPF was participating in the Bladder Cancer screening for the entire fire department. I was able to negotiate with a Biotech company to sponsor a noninvasive confirmatory test for bladder cancer. I’m hoping to do the same for colon cancer, breast cancer and other early cancer screening tests. My role in the Foundation has morphed into the technical expert in navigating through new research information/studies and talking to universities and Biotechs on new and improved cancer detection tests.
Besides helping in the SFFCPF, I was able to help SFFD and many other fire departments and local agencies, including BART and High-Rise buildings, in the US and Canada to navigate through their COVID-19 pandemic response. My close ties with the CDC and FDA have given me a broad understanding of the misinformation being spread and the crucial data that is not being relayed accurately to the general public. I also spearheaded and helped execute the collaboration between SFFD and UCSF to test all active members of SFFD for COVID-19 antibodies. It’s helpful to understand research study needs and fire department operations to successfully plan a big study like this. As much as I love firefighting, I can only imagine how exciting research labs are right now. To add to all the excitement I’ve had in the last 3.5 years in SFFD, I decided to join the US Army Medical Reserves where I will be a Scientist working in US Army Research facilities.
Remarkably, aside from working and volunteering my time in fire, I do have spare time that I spend with my husband and two kids (ages 10 and 8) playing sports, swimming, card games, baking, etc. I am also a CSTI Hazmat instructor where I love sharing how exciting science can be. I was just recently informed that I am currently the only uniformed personnel in Northern California who is CSTI qualified as a HazMat 1A Technician Instructor. My kids help me decide which experiments to perform for my classes as I teach them about both chemistry and firefighting. I hope my struggles, accomplishments and passions help teach my kids to always find what makes them happy. I can literally say that I have the best jobs in the world: wife, mom, scientist and firefighter!