Tests are underway for health hazards at Seattle Fire Department Station 31 because numerous firefighters from that station have come down with cancer and other illnesses, officials said.
A recent city press release announced that Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has asked the city council for $150,000 to pay for the investigation which will include air and soil testing as well as an epidemiological study to determine whether the firefighters' illnesses are linked by Station 31.
"We won't stop until the experts, the fire chief and my office are satisfied that concerns about the building have been addressed and dealt with. We're going to get to the bottom of this issue because our firefighters deserve no less," Nickels said in a prepared statement.
Seattle Fire Fighters Local 27 President Paul Atwater said firefighters first brought their concerns to the city three years ago, in October 2000. "It wasn't a real high priority item, it was just, hey this doesn't look right," Atwater said.
He said he has a list of more than 25 firefighters who have worked at the station and have since come down with different types of cancer, as well as three firefighters who have developed the disorder alopecia, causing them to lose body hair. Many of these firefighters have since retired or changed stations.
Concerns increased after two firefighters who spent their careers at Station 31 died of cancer within a short time of each other in June 2003. This brought media attention and greater attention from city officials, Atwater said.
Firefighters are mainly suspicious of the dirt floor in the basement and the sealants used on the building's interior brick walls. Atwater said the bricks are very porous to moisture and were coated in several caustic sealants starting in the 1970s when the building was constructed.
Testing by the company Prezant Associates began on October 22 for hazards such as radon gas, carbon monoxide and mold. Firefighters are continuing to operate out of the station during the investigation.
"At this point they're doing a good job of testing," Atwater said.
According to the city press release, there have been previous studies at Station 31 that found no evidence of a hazard. However, Atwater said firefighters wanted a trusted professional source to do more extensive testing and an epidemiological study to make sure there is no serious problem.
According to the city, "Since 2001, an industrial health and safety expert has inspected and tested the building and an epidemiologist from Seattle-King County Public Health Department has reviewed eight cases of cancer among current or former firefighters who have worked at Station 31. Both reviews found that the eight cancer cases were very unlikely to be related to the building," the press release says. "While those eight cases were all of which the city has direct knowledge, firefighters believe there may be more."
Atwater said a new development has come to light within the past few days that has some people even more concerned. Several Seattle firefighters who participated in the last multi-agency TopOff mass casualty drill were given radiological counters, and when they returned, some kept them around in their lockers. Six months later, a firefighter at Station 31 noticed that his counter had registered a large dose of radiation, of about 10 times the permissable annual doseage, Atwater said. He said all three of the counters at Station 31 are showing abnormal readings while the counters at other stations are normal.
"That's definitely raised some eyebrows," Atwater said.
While testing continues at the station, Atwater said health experts and firefighters are still looking into what types of health studies to perform.
Also, according to the press relase, Fire Chief Gary Morris has sought assistance in the investigation from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which has promised to review his request to identify the occupational health issues and determine the most appropriate NIOSH response.
Related:
Seattle Fire Fighters Local 27 Seattle Fire Department
