Firefighters put their lives in danger every day to protect our communities. Despite the obvious danger of battling fires, firefighters face a more insidious threat: toxic exposure. Their jobs often bring them in contact with harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and asbestos. However, one particularly concerning group of chemicals is emerging: perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called “forever chemicals.”
The Oklahoma City Fire Department has a long and proud history of serving the community. With six fire districts and 36 fire stations, the OKCFD provides essential fire protection and emergency medical services to over 700,000 residents across 621 square miles.
Currently, the OKCFD is facing increasing challenges due to global warming. Wildfires, once relatively rare, have become more frequent. With vast areas of brush and pasture within and around the city limits, Oklahoma City is especially vulnerable to these devastating events.
For example, in 2007, 3,519 wildfires burned around 70,000 acres. In 2008, the number was even higher, with 5,572 wildfires burning more than 196,000 acres.
These fires can be very destructive. The recent wildfire that started in February this year and ended in March caused property damage of nearly $33 million. According to the state fire marshal’s office, 17,499 wildfires were reported from 2000 to 2007, an average of 1,458 per month.
The 2012 Oklahoma Wildfire was one of the largest fires in history. It burned over 52,000 acres of land, destroyed 121 homes and businesses, and forced many to evacuate. Fortunately, our OKFCD heroes contained the fires, protecting thousands of lives while unknowingly putting their health at risk.
Sadly, these heroes were exposed to forever chemicals through their use of aqueous film-forming foam, a fire suppressant that can contain up to 98% PFAS. Sadly, PFAS are also lurking in their proactive turnout gear.
As this gear wears down, the forever chemicals in the outer and middle layers can break loose and migrate to the thermal barrier, the layer closest to the firefighter’s skin. This increases the risks of dermal exposure. PFAS have been linked to serious health problems, including kidney, prostate, and testicular cancer. Also, the EPA’s latest statements reconfirmed the potential carcinogenicity of PFAS.
The EPA’s study showed that PFAS exposure has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, impaired immune system function, hormonal disruptions, and increased cholesterol levels.
Chemical giants like 3M and DuPont have recently reached settlements with communities that have PFAS pollution in their water. This is good news for these communities, but the problem of PFAS pollution is far from being solved. In just the past year, the number of individual lawsuits filed by firefighters who were exposed to these chemicals has skyrocketed, surpassing 6,400.
Thankfully, the PFAS Alternatives Act proposes much-needed relief. This new funding will speed up the process of creating turnout gear without harmful PFAS chemicals. The money will be used for research, development, and testing. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick has been pushing for this bill and has secured $100 million for the project.
But that’s not all. The bill will also make sure firefighters know how to protect themselves from PFOS exposure. The results will provide firefighters with the knowledge they need to protect themselves.
The bill also sets aside $2 million yearly to develop better ways firefighters and other first responders handle and care for their protective gear. This includes training on how to wear it properly, decontaminate it, and keep it in good condition. Experts in the firefighting industry will work with firefighters to create these guidelines.
The bill provides a good start with funding for research. However, it doesn’t guarantee that fire departments will get the new gear soon. It’s a long process to develop and release new gear; with the extra money, many departments might be able to afford it.
The bill encourages new ideas and ways to protect our firefighters from PFAS. It doesn’t ban the old gear outright, but it’s a step in the right direction. Once better alternatives are available, the old gear will likely be phased out. But it still needs to be determined if there will be rules about replacing it immediately.
Overall, this bill is a step in the right direction for our firefighters’ health. However, how much it helps depends on how quickly changes happen and whether departments can get the funding they need to buy it. Until then, our firefighters will endure the dangers of PFAS exposure while using their current gear.
About Author
Jonathan Sharp is the CFO of Environmental Litigation Group, PC, a law firm headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which offers assistance to military and civilian firefighters affected by toxic exposure.