Fire/EMS

Washington — Concerned that firefighters’ protective gear may contain potentially harmful “forever chemicals,” the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association are advising their members to take precautions to reduce exposure.

Lyon, France — The World Health Organization has reclassified firefighting as a carcinogenic profession.

Durham, NC — Researchers at Duke University have identified a new tool they say can help doctors and public health officials track firefighters’ exposures to cancer-causing chemicals, as well as determine when and where the risks may be greatest.

Washington — The ongoing health problems of workers who responded during and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are the focus of an online exhibit recently unveiled by NIOSH and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Shreveport, LA — Firefighters’ risk of developing atrial fibrillation – an abnormal heart rhythm that can trigger serious health problems – increases with the number of fires they respond to, results of a recent study show.

Harrisburg, PA — The combination of high-intensity lights and high-visibility markings on emergency vehicles may make first responders working nighttime roadway scenes difficult for approaching motorists to see – even when the responders are wearing hi-vis vests, the “surprising” results of a recent study show.

Harrisburg, PA — A new website launched by the Emergency Responder Safety Institute will help track struck-by incidents involving first responders on the nation’s roadways.

In the aftermath of devastating weather events, tens of thousands of storm recovery workers respond. A wide variety of potential hazards await.

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a Spanish-language online training course on bloodborne pathogens for health care, emergency response, hospitality and other industries.

Greenbelt, MD — Every day for the past several years, Brian McQueen has felt the left side of his neck and wondered if his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma will return.