VIDEO: More than a decade of neglect put thousands of San Diego firefighters at risk for a serious, and sometimes deadly disease. Those firefighters were repeatedly exposed to asbestos and lead in the floors, walls, and ceilings of buildings used to train San Diego firefighters.
Documents obtained by NBC 7 Investigates reveal in past years, the city minimized the danger and failed to act quickly to protect first responders training at San Diego’s Fire Academy. At least one firefighter asked to be relieved of his duties as an Assistant Instructor at the training facilities “due to growing concerns over the presence of asbestos."
Last year, according to emails obtained by NBC 7 Investigates, the department’s Cancer Awareness and Prevention Program manager claimed he was removed from the asbestos abatement project “shortly after submitting an evidence-based paper highlighting the documented health hazards at [the training facility.]”