Blair County, PA — “The very gear designed to protect us, is killing us.” says the President of the International Association of Firefighters, Edward Kelly.
He tells the public that the IAFF is going to partner with law firms, in hopes of changing regulations regarding personal protective equipment.
These include the removal of PFAS from equipment, that firefighters wear when exposed to their jobs dangers.
Kelly states that compensation for personnel who have been injured because of these toxins, is also necessary.
He also states “We need to change the standard, so we can build new gear that doesn’t have these toxic chemicals in it that are making us sick.”
The deputy chief of the Altoona Fire Department, Michael Hawksworth, says his team is continuing to practice the same safety measures, despite the possible change in regulations.
“We’ve had one firefighter pass away from cancer. There’s also a local fire instructor and firefighter from the Gallitzin area, that recently passed from occupational cancer, related to firefighting. That’s kind of our goal, we don't want to have to deal with it anymore." says Hawksworth.
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