Firefighters from Fall River and Hyannis joined their colleagues on Nantucket Monday in an effort to begin understanding just how much of the PFAS chemicals in their turnout gear is absorbed into their bodies.
“My involvement really stems from having to bury two 30-year-old firefighters from cancer,” said Jason Burns of the Fall River Fire Department. “Cancer has always been a part of our job, we get it. But something changed. Why are we now burying 30-year-olds? It used to be 50-, 60-, 70-year-olds that got cancer. Something changed and to me, it changed when they started pumping our gear full of these PFAS chemicals. You’re seeing guys getting cancer younger, and the cancer is more aggressive.”
The firefighters took part in three tests. The first was intended to measure the overall level of PFAS in their blood, and see how it compares to that of national averages.