NEW YORK — New York City lawmakers are weighing new protections for FDNY firefighters that would phase out cancer-linked chemicals from their gear.
A four-bill package introduced on Nov. 17 by Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola would require the FDNY to stop using turnout gear and other protective equipment containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by 2028, the New York Post reported. The bill also would require the department to identify safer alternatives.
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“This is about protecting our protectors,” said Ariola, who chairs the Fire and Emergency Management Committee. “Our firefighters risk their lives for us every day. The least we can do is make sure that the gear meant to keep them safe isn’t slowly poisoning them.”
Ariola’s legislative package also calls for free annual PFAS-exposure health screenings for active firefighters and twice-yearly exams for FDNY retirees.
All firehouses would also have their drinking water tested for PFAS contamination, since the chemicals can leach into plumbing systems.
Manufacturers of PFAS-containing products are currently facing class-action lawsuits from thousands of plaintiffs, including some FDNY firefighters, who allege they developed serious health problems from skin contact with contaminated gear or from using PFAS-based firefighting foam, which the FDNY stopped using decades ago.
The FDNY has not yet identified PFAS-free gear that offers comparable burn protection, according to Uniformed Firefighters Association Vice President Bobby Eustace, who said phasing out the current equipment is essential because cancer remains the leading cause of death among firefighters.
It’s not yet known how much replacing the gear would cost and the FDNY did not respond to the New York Post’s requests for comment.
