24. PFAS in Firefighters Personal Protective Equipment Pt. 2

Jason Burns who is Executive Director at Last Call Foundation and he's been a Firefighter since 2006. He has spent much of his career advocating for better and safer working conditions for his firefighters. He currently serves as a District Vice President for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts. Jason has also been a part of the team of people who have collaborated on a nation wide effort to rid firefighters’ personal protective equipment of toxic PFAS chemicals.

PFAS is used in fire fighter turnout gear and poses an unnecessary occupational threat. Recent studies have shown that all three layers of firefighter turnout gear contain Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a class of fluorinated chemicals known as “forever chemicals” which have been linked to cancer and other serious health effects. These studies highlight the risks associated with the materials and finishes used in turnout gear even before it is exposed to its first fire.

With Jason, we talk about his experience as a firefighter, what he’s seen in the field, the nation wide effort he’s apart of, what risk this puts firefighters at, and alternatives fire departments can use instead.

Contact and connect with Jason: [email protected]

Jason’s Organization: https://www.lastcallfoundation.org/about

PFAS in PPE: https://www.iaff.org/pfas/

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/ig-091522.html