Washington — Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the Senate would establish respiratory protection standards for wildland firefighters.
The Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act (S. 3183) was introduced Nov. 17 by Sens. John Curtis (R-UT) and Adam Schiff (D-CA). It would direct the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior to work with OSHA and NIOSH to develop, within one year, respiratory protections with the unique needs of wildland firefighters in mind.
The bill would also direct USFS and DOI to provide personal protective equipment to firefighters, as well as require the use of approved respirators or masks when smoke exposure surpasses federal limits.
According to a press release from Curtis’ office, USFS guidance issued in September acknowledged for the first time that respiratory protections can limit firefighters’ exposure to harmful particles in wildfire smoke. It also reversed a decades-old rule that banned federal wildland firefighters from wearing respiratory protection while performing their job.
The International Association of Firefighters, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, the National Federation of Federal Employees and the National Fire Protection Association all support the bill.
“With two-thirds of fire departments reporting insufficient wildland PPE, many firefighters face dangerous gaps in protection against escalating wildfires,” NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said in the release. “This legislation is a vital step to help ensure every firefighter has the gear they need to stay safe while safeguarding our communities.”
The bill has been referred to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.
