Being a first responder has its risks. Firefighters know the dangers of entering a building engulfed by flames. The chances of coming out alive certainly play on their minds.
In 2022, about 94 firefighters died while on duty in the U.S. Believe it or not, the main cause of death among firefighters is not smoke inhalation. Edinburgh University research found that it was heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.
Following years of research, a high risk of cancer can be added to the list.
When Sacramento firefighter Anthony Benelisha died from stage 3 colon cancer earlier this year, it drove home the fact that first responders were put in danger by the very gear they wore to protect them.
Firefighting Turnout Gear Called into Question
Benelisha’s case mirrored hundreds of others.
Turnout gear is worn by firefighters as a safety barrier against extreme heat and liquids. The materials are treated with a chemical called PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
A known carcinogen, PFAS are forever chemicals because they take longer to break down in the environment. PFAS exposure could lead to several types of cancer and other immune system issues.
It wasn’t just turnout gear that was found to contain the toxic chemicals. Case after case claimed firefighters and military personnel were exposed to PFAS in Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). The firefighting foam was used by the military and airports to put out chemical fires.
In 2017, victims filed the first AFFF lawsuit. Thousands of more claims were to follow.
AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuits
The firefighting foam lawsuit, backed by years of research, questioned the safety of firefighters, on and off duty.
The most recent update shows they aren’t the only ones in danger.
Seneca County filed a lawsuit against the federal government a few weeks ago. It alleges that PFAS contamination from the Seneca Army Depot had polluted its drinking water supply.
According to TruLaw, the lawsuit argues that decades of AFFF exposure at the depot contaminated the water supply with PFAS compounds.
Robots to the Rescue?
If humans were taken out of the equation, what other options would the firefighting community be left with?
When the famous Paris landmark Notre Dame went up in flames, the world looked on in shock. Parts of the beloved cathedral were reduced to a charred husk.
The damage could have been that much worse. To keep the rest of the building from burning to the ground, the Paris Fire Brigade brought in their secret weapon – Colossus.
The firefighting robot was largely responsible for helping put out the blaze. Built like an indestructible tank, the machine was equipped with motorized water cannons.
Taking their cue from the Notre Dame fire, the U.S. deployed its first firefighting robot in 2021. The Thermite Robotic Firefighter could go where no human firefighter had gone before.
Safety First
As the world continues to experience the adverse effects of climate change, conventional methods of managing fires need a serious relook.
Extreme and harsher fires will become more frequent, putting firefighters at more risk. XPRIZE Wildfire is a $11 million competition. The aim is to incentivize participants to invent new technologies to detect wildfires.
NBC Los Angeles reported that more than 200 teams have already signed up, with the cash prize paid out over four years.
The Silvanus Project is an international initiative designing robots that can travel into fire fronts.
Australian company Data61 is part of the project. While the technology is still in development, Data61 displayed how these robots could very soon send valuable data back to headquarters showing where the fire is and the direction it’s heading in.
According to Global Data, firefighting robots have been deemed key innovation areas in robotics. Autonomous machines are better equipped with water cannons, thermal imaging cameras, and sprayers.
Chinese company Guoxing Intelligent is currently leading the pack with the most patent filers in firefighting robots.
What the AFFF Lawsuit Can Teach Us
Thus far the EPA has introduced a number of regulations in response to the potential harm of PFAS exposure.
EHS Daily Advisor noted analysts predict more lawsuits will be filed, resulting in higher settlement numbers.
The number of defendants named could very well increase as Baker McKenzie reported that the lawsuits have been expanded to not only include manufacturers.
For Anthony Benelisha’s family, the AFFF litigation comes too late. If there’s one thing that the AFFF film fighting foam lawsuit has taught us, it’s that every life deserves to be accounted for.