Two new Indiana laws are laying the groundwork for stronger actions to shield fire fighters from per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals.
One law establishes the Firefighter PFAS Biomonitoring Pilot Program to better assess PFAS levels in fire fighters’ blood, while the other requires gear containing PFAS to display a label.
Professional Fire Fighters Union of Indiana (PFFUI) President Tony Murray said the state association tirelessly lobbied for the passage of these two laws.
“Knowing what level of PFAS we have absorbed into our bodies is just the first step, but it is an important one,” Murray said. “We hope this will lead to earlier and more frequent cancer screenings. If we can catch cancer early, we can save lives.”
The Indiana General Assembly appropriated $200,000 to establish the biomonitoring program. More than 1,200 fire fighters have already applied to participate. The funds will likely not cover all applicants, but the PFFUI is hopeful to secure additional funding during the upcoming legislative session.
“Fire fighters know that they are being exposed to PFAS during the course of their duties and many times unnecessarily, through their bunker gear. Being able to qualify and quantify the presence of PFAS in fire fighters is an important first step in the risk identification of all the diseases PFAS have been known to cause, including cancer, immunosuppression, hormonal disruption, and teratogenicity,” IAFF Chief Medical Officer Dan Whu, MD, MPH, said. “Knowing their PFAS levels would allow fire fighters to share this information with their physicians, which would lead to any needed preventive or therapeutic interventions.”
The second law, which took effect in June 2024, requires all fire fighter gear containing PFAS to display a warning label.
The PFFUI’s ultimate goal is to transition from the current gear to PFAS-free alternatives. Until then, the labeling will help members take necessary precautions to minimize PFAS exposure.
The IAFF has provided guidelines for fire fighters who are awaiting the switch to PFAS-free gear to protect themselves. These recommendations include wearing turnout gear only when necessary, not bringing gear into firehouse living quarters, and transporting gear in sealed containers.
PFAS-free gear is currently available through some manufacturers, and five IAFF Locals in the U.S. and Canada are participating in an IAFF survey to trial new PFAS-free gear. The gear survey is collecting data on fit, performance, comfort, and other metrics to compare the PFAS-free gear to current fluorinated gear.
For more information about PFAS in the firefighting environment, visit iaff.org/pfas/.
