Firefighters Rally in D.C. to Eliminate Chemicals in Turnout Gear

Occupational cancer is killing firefighters at a rapid pace. And, it's not acceptable.

That was the message IAFF General President Edward Kelly shared Tuesday with several thousand people at a rally in Washington, D.C.

The firefighters joined other advocates and scientists outside the EPA demanding that the agency do more to eliminate carcinogens. Many shared personal stories they say should never have happened. 

“For many years we thought our cancers were caused by smoke, off-gassing from burning combustibles, building debris. Now, we know our own gear is part of that problem. The very thing that is supposed to be keeping us safe is costing us our lives,” Kelly said in a statement. 

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used in the protective layers of firefighter turnout gear and have been linked to cancer. 

Kelly noted that 75 percent of those honored at last weekend's IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service died of cancer.

Following a recent study showing the dangers associated with wearing turnout gear, the IAFF and Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association last month issued a joint statement urging firefighters to limit their wearing of turnout gear. 

The catalysts for the Notre Dame study included Diane Cotter whose Worcester firefighter husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2014. Kelly said Cotter suspected turnout gear may be to blame, Kelly said.

“We need to extinguish cancer and the threat of PFAS for everyone,” said Kelly. “The oath we took was to protect all of you. [But] our fight is to save the lives of everybody, not just fire fighters, everybody…including our own children, our own grandchildren.”

The Biden administration has classified PFAS as hazardous material and the EPA recently issued guidance drastically limiting the amounts of PFAS acceptable in drinking water. “President Biden’s actions will help us protect our communities,” Kelly's statement read.

Jason Burns, a firefighter from Fall River, MA, said he knows of several responders who died of occupational cancer. “We have a problem in the fire service and it’s not just my local, it’s happening all over the country. Fire fighters are dealing with cancer at rates we have never seen..."