Recent evidence states firefighters may be exposed to toxins from their wearable fire protection or turnout gear. Because firefighters must be protected from water and potential steam burns, their protective equipment is treated with PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS is also found in firefighting foam and is linked to cancer, immune issues, asthma, and other complications.
A class of manufactured chemicals known as PFAS—which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—is responsible for making turnout gear water-and-heat proof. Because PFAS don’t break down in the environment, they exist forever. These toxins are featured in 3M’s Scotchgard stain repellent and on cookware and other consumer products requiring protection from heat and corrosion. A new study by Graham Peaslee, professor of physics at the University of Notre Dame, showed unsafe levels of fluorine associated with PFAS were found in firefighters’ protective gear.
Peaslee and other researchers tested thirty new and used turnout jackets and pants marketed initially, distributed, and sold in 2008, 2014, and 2017. Six turnout gear makers manufactured the samples, including the “Globe” and “Lion” brands. Results showed that the fabric used to create turnout gear was either heavily treated with PFAS or was made with fluoropolymers, a type of PFAS that creates an oil-and-water resistant final product.





