SCOTT, La. — According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), firefighters are 50% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the rest of the population. Aside from running into a "cancerous soup of toxins," as Chad Major, president of the Firefighters Association of Louisiana, put it, the very gear on their backs has been found to contain carcinogens as well.
PFAS, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are found in just about everything.
"It takes just a couple drops to contaminate an Olympic-size pool." said Major. "Just to think that you're wearing a carcinogen as well, you know, we have to get that out of our gear."
Chief of the Scott Fire Department, Chad Sonnier, has been a firefighter for more than 30 years. He recently traveled to Washington D.C. to speak with congressmen about firefighter health and safety. According to him, PFAS within firefighter gear was a pressing topic.
"The conversation went well," said Sonnier, "they were real receptive. They understood that it's a main concern of firefighters right now. We're wearing stuff that's dangerous to our bodies while we're trying to protect total strangers."
Sonnier hopes that manufacturing companies will be brought to the table, and join the conversation.
"It would speed up the process, which is what we're all here for."
