Under an emergency rule created Wednesday by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, fire departments will have to file a report any time they use firefighting foam that contains PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
The decision prohibits the use of those chemicals during training exercises. They can be used for emergency firefighting, fire prevention operations, and testing purposes as long as guidelines are followed. Concerned citizens have testified about contamination of their drinking water. PFAS are sometimes found in meat and fish, too. The rule still needs to be signed by the governor and approved by a joint committee of the Legislature.