West LA Times

Researchers from UCLA are collaborating with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to study potential cancer risks linked to firefighter gear. The project aims to determine if contaminants on turnout jackets contribute to elevated cancer risks among firefighters. According to Dr. Brigitte Gomperts, “Nobody’s ever tracked firefighter gear serially over the course of a year.” The study investigates the effects of personal protective equipment on human cells, with Dr. Victoria Barber highlighting the significance of off-gassing from the gear.

Firefighters at one station will wear specific jackets that will later be tested, unwashed, to identify chemicals and particulates. These gatherings on the gear may be carcinogenic similar to thirdhand smoke. The concern arises because such gear is often stored unwashed and worn multiple times, increasing exposure risks. Dr. David Gonzalez emphasized that particulates, which can transfer through the skin or by touch, may pose further dangers.

The innovative approach involves testing isolated gases and particulate matter in laboratory settings. Gomperts will “test their effects on human cells” using lung organoids. Dr. Mehdi Bouhaddou adds that examining phosphorylation within cells may reveal links to cancer development, with prior research showing that smoke from wildfire activated pathways associated with cancer.

The two-year study seeks to determine the connection between PPE and cancer while potentially influencing future departmental policies. As Gomperts states, “If we can show that firefighter uniforms are not being handled appropriately ... then we can hopefully make some policy changes that will then protect firefighters.”

While the focus extends beyond firefight exposure to include station hazards, initial findings have already improved immediate conditions, as evidenced by the acquisition of a popcorn maker to address air quality issues at Fire Station 3.