2022 .. A Chronology of Firefighter PFAS Actions and Events.
It is New Year’s Eve 2022, and we are in mourning and heartbroken over the news of the passing of Chief Bobby Halton. For anyone who has followed this odyssey, they know Bobby had the impossible task to do the unthinkable — to make space for us; the allies, science community and attorneys and opposition. And he surely did.
I will never forget the first year Bobby had Graham Peaslee at FDIC.. how he drove like a bat out of Hell to get to the stage to introduce Dr. Peaslee — and this issue.. it was an impossible situation to navigate. But he did it in only the way Bobby could, with grace, with science, with integrity.
JANUARY
January 18, 2022 Indiana firefighters could get annual blood testing for PFAS under proposed pilot program
IAFF General President Ed Kelly Announces Partnership with Environmental Working Group and IAFF PFAS Partnership
Fire Engineering Humpday Hangout: Research Update on ‘Forever Chemicals’
PFAS Update: State Regulation of PFAS in Firefighting Foam and Equipment
Station Pride New IAFF-Backed Fire Gear PFAS Study by Oregon State Discovers 100-Times More Volatile PFAS than Previously Known.
Q&A with Dr. Graham Peaslee on New Oregon State University PFAS Gear Study
FEBRUARY:
15 MASSACHUESTTS FIREFIGHTERS FILE LAWSUITS AGAINS MAKERS OF GEAR AND AFFF. BRAD PETRISHEN
Mass. Firefighters Raise Alarm About ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Gear, Firefighting Foam
STATEMENT OF ED KELLY IN SUPPORT OF FIREFIGTERS LAWSUITS :
MARCH
Wendy Murphy: Firefighters face perilous cancer risk
BRIAN ROSS INVESTIGATES WITH IAFF GP ED KELLY
PFAS Class Limited to Certain Ohio Residents by Federal Judge
Ohio Residents Win Cert. In PFAS Suit Against 3M, Others
KATHY CROSBY-BELL RUNS MARATHON IN HONOR OF HER SON MICHAEL KENNEDY.
APRIL
3RD NATIONAL PFAS CONFERENCE — NORTH CAROLINA.
HTTPS://PFASMEETING.WORDPRESS.NCSU.EDU/WORKING-AGENDA/
MA PFAS task force releases recommendations to state officials
LEGISLATURE COMPLETES REPORT ON ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ SAID TO CAUSE CANCER IN FIREFIGHTERS; WORCESTER PART OF ONGOING LAWSUIT
WORCESTER FIREFIGHTERS PART OF PROTECTIVE-GEAR LAWSUIT
3M RESPONDS TO BRAD PETRISHEN’S ARTICLE:
https://www.telegram.com/story/news/courts/2022/02/22/3-m-only-defendant-company-worcester-firefighter-pfas-lawsuit-offer-comment/6843196001/
( HEALEY ACTS ON PFAS… CLAIMS FIREFIGHTERS LAWSUIT AS HER MOTIVATION… IT’S A CROCK OF SHIT.. SHE HAD YEARS TO ACT.. PURELY A POLITICAL MOVE — I SENT HER 197 EMAILS.. SHE NEVER REPLIED DUE TO THE SHUNNING ORDER ISSUED BY SCHAITBERGER )
https://www.boston.com/news/environment/2022/05/25/pfas-lawsuit-attorney-general-maura-healey/
JUNE
EPA: Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ levels in drinking water should be much lower
PFAS CONFERENCE –
FIREFIGHTERS REALLY HIT IT HOME… KEVIN FERRARA AND JASON BURNS !!
JULY
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DECLARES FIREFIGHTING A CARCINOGENIC OCCUPATON:
Worcester Telegram — Brad Petrishen: 23 more Mass. firefighters including 5 from Worcester file suit over PFAS in gear, foams
July 27, 2022 : Fire Engineering Humpday Hangout:
At approximately 28 mm Editor in Chief Bobby Halton announces “ not only was she alone, she was vilified and persecuted, and there were organized attacks against her — I know for a fact — because I was cajoled to join and said no that’s not for me “…..
This was John Granby of Lion Gear who asked Bobby to join him in June of 2020 under Schaitberger Administration in an effort at IAFF headquarters in DC. John Granby : VP of Corporate Responsibility — who also sits on Senator Lisa Murkowski’s FED FireFighter Caucus.
Report calls for expanded PFAS testing for firefighters, others with elevated exposure
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report offers guidance for clinical testing and treatment
NASEM REPORT. Diane Cotter Serves as Firefighter Liason:
AUGUST
ELIJAH YETTER-BOWMAN RELEASES THE TRAILER TO THE DOCUMENTARY, ‘BURNED’.
https://etherealfilms.org/burned/
IAFF ANNOUNCES GUIDELINES FOR TURNOUT GEAR WITH METRO CHIEFS ASSOCIATION:
Kansas firefighter among early whistleblowers of PFAS in protective gear
PFAS AFFF MDL: GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR DEFENSE UPDATES
EPA ANNNOUNCES PFOA AND PFOS TO BE DESIGNATED ‘HAZARDOUS’ TO AID IN SUPERFUND CLEANUPS.
(does nothing for firefighters wearing staggering amounts of PFOA)
EPA hazardous substance proposal holds ‘forever chemicals’ polluters accountable
SEPTEMBER
Mayor Raymond Mariano : Why isn’t Worcester doing more to protect firefighters?
THE INSURANCE COMPANY REPRESENTING TURNOUT GEAR MANUFACTURER FIRE DEX LLC IS LOOKING TO EXCLUDE THE CLAIMS BROUGHT BY PLAINTIFFS:
A Roadmap to Insurance Coverage for the Mother of Toxic Torts: PFAS
JUSTIA:
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/ohio/ohndce/1:2022cv01087/288667
3M LOSES CONTRACTOR DEFENSE!
FIREFIGHTERS PROTEST IN WASHINGTON, D.C., CALLING FOR EPA TO ADDRESS TOXIC PFAS CHEMICALS
“For many years we thought our cancers were caused by smoke, off-gassing from burning combustibles, building debris,” Kelly said. “Now, we know our own gear is part of that problem. The very thing that is supposed to be keeping us safe is costing us our lives.”
Also joining the rally was Jason Burns, current fire fighter and former president of Fall River, MA Local 1314, who said several members of his affiliate have developed and succumbed to occupational cancer.
INDUSTRY HACK STILL DOING HIS GRIND:
IAFF Responds to Fire Engineering Webcast, ‘Firefighting PPE Evaluations: From Need to Selection’
In The Clearing Stands A Boxer ….
Pat Elder, Military Poisons
October:
Biden praises firefighters, calls on Congress to do more
NOVEMBER
Firefighters concerned about PFAS; Worcester Fire Department takes steps…Henry Schwan, Worcester Telegram and Gazette
DECEMBER
CONGRESS PASSES LEGISLATION TO PROTECT FIRE FIGHTERS FROM PFAS EXPOSURE
This is the bill written by Senator Gary Peters and Senator Hassan in 2019. The language for PPE was not part of the original packet. Yet, due to the work of Kristen Mello, PFAS Activist of WRAFT who held the line with Senator Peters Chief of Staff, Yogin Kothari, the language for PPE was added via supporting documents from Diane Cotter. https://dianecotter.medium.com/in-response-to-senator-gary-peters-announcement-protecting-firefighters-from-adverse-substances-50ceb945c333
3M TO EXIT PFAS MANUFACTURING BY THE END OF 2025
Consumer products giant 3M announced Tuesday that it will stop making and using a ubiquitous class of long-lasting, hazardous chemicals that can pose health risks to millions of Americans.
S.231. PROTECTING FIGHTERS FROM ADVERSE SUBSTANCES ACT SIGNED INTO LAW
Signed by President Joe Biden
IAFF GP KELLY INTERVIEW WITH TOM TEMLIN:
We closed 2022 with wins for federal fire fighters and momentum in our fight to remove #PFAS from our gear and our communities. More in yesterday’s interview with Tom Temin
IAFF: ‘WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PFAS IN THE FIRE SERVICE’
DR. GRAHAM PEASLEE, DR. JAMIE DEWITT, DR. DANNY WHU, SCIENCE AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR NEIL MCMILLAN, PPE SPECIALIST JEFF KNOBBE
….. I can only imagine what 2023 will be like with this much momentum…
dc 12.31.2022