Portsmouth, Virginia Firefighters Receive Second Set of Turnout Gear
Summary
PORTSMOUTH, Va., Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A 2010 study completed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) revealed that firefighters exhibited greater numbers of cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths.Portsmouth, VA Firefighters Turnout Gear According to James Hoffler, chief of the Portsmouth Fire Department, firefighters returning from a recent fire event thoroughly wash and decontaminate their gear."We are facing a cancer epidemic industry-wide and city councils investment in the second set turnout gear will help us to greatly reduce the risk to firefighters being exposed to carcinogenic materials," said Hoffler.The CDC and NIOSH study also showed that about twice as many firefighters developed malignant mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.Firefighters are exposed to high levels of carcinogens in fire suppression because homes and business typically have a lot of plastics and other materials that release harmful substances when burning.