BOSTON ― It was a different kind of phone call that Fall River fire Lt. Jason Burns made on the morning of Aug. 1, after the passage of a bill by Massachusetts lawmakers to ban the use of chemicals linked to cancer in firefighting protective gear.
His six years of advocacy had finally paid off, and he could call the families of the two firefighters he had lost to occupational-induced illnesses to tell them they had won their fight against the use of PFAS in the very equipment that was supposed to protect them.
“It won’t bring them back,” Burns said of the men, who he said died at ages 37 and 32. “But it will save other firefighters in the long run.”
The bill, passed in the wee hours of that Thursday morning, was signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey on Thursday afternoon at the Grand Staircase of the State House.
“This is an extraordinary day for firefighters across the commonwealth,” said Sen. Michael Moore, D-Millbury, in prepared remarks he shared with the T&G ahead of the signing ceremony. Moore was instrumental in getting the measure across the finish line as the lead sponsor in the Senate. “With the stroke of her pen, Governor Healey is putting manufacturers of turnout gear who use toxic PFAS chemicals on notice that Massachusetts won’t tolerate the poisoning of our brave firefighters.”
Moore, citing data from the International Association of Firefighters, said cancer accounted for 66% of firefighter deaths from 2002 to 2019.
Burns, Moore and the International Association of Fire Fighters joined with Worcester firefighters to take on the manufacturers of the equipment and other entities who questioned the veracity of reports about the dangers posed to firefighters by the fire-retardant chemicals.
It started with the wife of a Worcester firefighter, Diane Cotter. She had read a report of a New Jersey firefighter who had been trapped under burning debris and had “steamed to death” inside his gear. An examination of the equipment revealed it had deteriorated due to thermal shock.
Terrified, she hurried to check her husband’s protective gear and found it too had deteriorated.
When her husband, Paul, a firefighter since 1988, was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 55, she started to suspect the gear could not only fail due to use but that it could also endanger firefighters in the long run.
“How could someone so young be diagnosed with cancer?” Diane Cotter said she asked herself. Her answer came through reports that indicated the chemicals used to keep firefighters safe from flames was being absorbed through their skin at alarming levels.
During the signing ceremony on Thursday, Moore paid tribute to Cotter, who was watching above the gathering. The firefighters, lawmakers and officials gathered gave her an extended ovation.
Moore also thanked state Auditor Diana DiZoglio, who was the first to file a bill to ban PFAS in firefighter gear when she was a member of the Senate; and Rep. Jim Hawkins, D-Attleboro, the House sponsor of this year's successful legislation.
Under the new law, by 2027 manufacturers will be blocked from selling or distributing firefighter protective equipment containing "intentionally added PFAS" in the Bay State. Until that time, manufacturers will be required to list which chemicals are used to treat protective gear.
Moore believes the ban will incentivize manufacturers to find newer and safer ways to protect firefighters from exposure to heat and fire-produced toxins.
“Or they will lose our valuable market,” Moore said.
Trade group remains opposed
A spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, a trade association for American chemical companies, said the group opposes the legislation and argues that "all PFAS are not the same."
“We have strong concerns with this legislation, including the overly broad definition of PFAS, and believe this bill may have unintended consequences for the performance of PPE that our firefighters need," the organization said in a statement to the T&G. "The personal protective gear used by firefighters and first responders is designed to withstand extreme hazards they face on the job, including exposure to open flames, high temperatures, and potentially dangerous combustion by-products. Firefighting gear is designed to resist intrusion by water, oil, and chemicals, while also being breathable (allowing body moisture to pass through the garment) to modulate core body temperature and reduce heat stress. In firefighting, these performance attributes can mean the difference between life and death, not only for the firefighter, but also for potential fire victims.
"Today’s PFAS have been subject to review by regulators prior to introduction into commerce and are subject to ongoing review," the statement continued. "PFAS used in commerce today are supported by a body of scientific health and safety data."
Second state to pass ban
Richard MacKinnon Jr., president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, representing more than 12,000 professionals throughout the state, said the fight to get the bill passed was “not an easy task, but we got it done.”
“This was a crucial part of our fight against occupational diseases,” MacKinnon said. “We’ve known for years that our gear was saturated with PFAS. We believe the law will speed up the development of PFAS-free gear.”
Massachusetts becomes the second state to pass a ban on PFAS in bunker gear, following Connecticut.
“Our law is stronger; it goes into effect a year earlier,” MacKinnon said.
With reports from State House News Service.
