Congressional Fire Services Caucus Member John Granby; VP of Govt Affairs and Corporate Responsibility of Lion Gear— Brags About His 2020 ‘Meeting To Mess With’ Firefighter PFAS Activist Diane Cotter’ at IAFF Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Diane Cotter
10 min readOct 18, 2021

Chronology of Schaitberger Administration of International Association of FireFighters Union - Actions and In-actions To Warn Firefighters of the PFAS Chemicals in Turnout Gear.

Dear Executive Board and Trustee’s of International Association of Firefighters,

I have cc’d many members of Congress here as John Granby of Lion Gear serves on Senator Lisa Murkowski’s Congressional Fire Services Caucus and is the VP of Government Relations and Corporate Responsibility for Lion Gear. As Senator Murkowski is a leader in bring forward PFAS legislation for Firefighters it is my hope she will investigate these actions thoroughly. The thought of a government contractor colluding with high ranking IAFF officials on such a serious matter should bring a FBI investigation.

As stated in my email from 10.7.2021, I received word on Monday, October 4th from a most respected source that it was John Granby of Lion Gear who bragged he was going to the IAFF Washington DC Office in early 2020 to attend a discussion about ‘messing with Diane Cotter’.

My level of shock and sadness has reached a new all time high. It is my hope this email and subsequent Medium article I will publish will bring about the investigations we have been pleading for from Capitol Hill. This incestuous relationship warrants an inquiry on the scale of the 9/11 Commission Report.

Lion enjoys a hefty 111 million dollar a year DoD contract. It is my hope that should this issue finally see a Capitol Hill investigation this contract is looked at as well.

https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2018/07/27/the-list-dayton-area-u-s-department-of-defense.html

Sincerely,

Diane Cotter

2017.

The REAL Cancer in Your Gear
My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer 27 months ago. The shock and awe of hearing, “yes, it is cancer” is the…station-pride.com

Nine days after The Real Cancer in Your Gear, Lion Gear would send this email to allies seeking ‘ammo’ :

After the publication of the article in March 2017, Pat Morrison, Asst to GP Schiatberger for H&S would produce the IAFF Statement on PFOA in your gear.

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/fbe7dd_cc4b2d5a744b4b1f8ca967ab94a64978.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2Wxe3uzFEfcb0f2ZmC_XI50uMM79CZ0lzzRD_cK3_f5fJWQaXGqz7GJ-Y

Numerous emails and calls to IAFF H&S officer Pat Morrison in DC regarding this statement issued after the publication of The Real Cancer in Your Gear

Diane Cotter response:

https://www.facebook.com/1808869939437081/posts/iaff-statement-on-pfoa-nothing-to-see-here-folks-mfgrs-say-no-worries-link-https/1857721341218607/

May? 2017 Fall River President Jason Burns would bring material directly to IAFF DC office during legislation week documenting the EU work to rid limit PFOA in turnout gear. Some weeks later Jason would receive a unexpected call from 5 members of IAFF including Pat Morrison, Rick Swan, and other District VP’s asking what he knew about Diane Cotter and about this issue. Jason relayed all of his knowledge. Jason was told he would receive minutes to this unplanned call. After repeated attempts to secure the minutes it was obvious they would never appear.

A year would pass with endless emails and attempts to raise the alarm to the front line. Quite a bit of social media posts would be aimed at Harold and Pat’s non-urgency of this issue. Finally, a conference call with Pat would take place, and Pat would explain his reasons for the 2017 Statement. That he had just gotten done with the FR legislation and was tired, and reached out to the manufacturers directly for their input. We said Pat, that’s exactly the problem. Pat advised he would be ‘correcting’ the statement as he called DuPont to get the advice.

The updated statement never happened and in 2018 the same IAFF statement ‘there is no worry’ was floated again.

PFAS/PFOA UPDATE: Conference Call with IAFF
This article is published on behalf of Diane Cotter of the Facebook Page Your Turnout Gear and PFOA Diane works…station-pride.com

2018.

In my attempt to keep fire service and Pat Morrison informed of our work with Last Call Foundation who funded our study with Graham Peaslee, I emailed Pat and many others dozens of times with updates on the PFAS studies being published in the USA and abroad.

I introduced Pat to Robert Bilott via email and was assured by Pat there would be conversations. In my emails to Pat I warned of the preliminary findings of Dr Peaslee, and advised in order to prepare the fire service for the findings Last Call Foundation would be holding a conference call whereby invited guest could hear a synopsis of the yet unpublished study and begin to prepare for the response from the fire community.

The conference call was held with over 30 fire service leaders in attendance. Pat Morrison was in attendance. Dr Peaslee shared that he found PFOA on everything from 20 years worth of turnout gear — except a 2017 moisture barrier. Dr Peaslee explained that the PFOA was ‘shedding’ and was migrating from the outer shell to the thermal liner. And, that a ‘precursor was forming PFOA in hours to days’. Attendants were allowed to ask questions and Pat asked, “could the PFOA be from products of combustion”.

Dr. Peaslee answered that there would be a different ‘signature’ if the PFOA was from products of combustion.

October 2018 all communication coming from the IAFF ceased after the Eric Lamar article would result in a call from Rich MacKinnon President of the PFFM advising they would no longer work with me.

Schaitberger, Safety and Moral Obligation
Most IAFF members are under the impression that their union is a fierce and vigorous protector of their safety and…www.turnoutblog.com

Regardless, I would continue to email IAFF’s Pat Morrison with updates on Dr. Peaslee’s study and advise that the study would be peer reviewed and published. No response would come from Pat.

2019

March 2019 Dr Peaslee presents his study at FDIC

Fighting to Protect the Brave: Video Highlights Researcher Probing Toxic Chemicals in Firefighter…
A recent video released by the University of Notre Dame highlighted the work done by researcher Graham Peaslee in…www.fireengineering.com

April 2019 Lion Gear published this article stating that the IAFF had reviewed and supported their findings of their ‘study’. The study was conducted by ‘Exponent’ a consulting group and disseminated by Dr. Paul Chrostowski a consultant who once worked for the ‘Weinberg Group’.

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3475623/LION_PFOA_factsheet_042419.pdf

Dr. Chrostowski would participate in a call to my partner Jeff Knobbe, PPE specialist in Northern California after Jeff called Lion Gear seeking to view the ‘study’. Lion Gear’s team would fly from Ohio to northern California to show Jeff the study. During the meeting a call would come from Dr Chrostowski who would advise Jeff that the side chain PFAS was of no concern as they were too large to pass through the skin. They were like volleyballs and tennisballs.

AUGUST 2019 IAFF SAFETY SUMMIT

Redmond Health and Safety Symposium/Barbera EMS Conference — IAFF
Event Websitewww.iaff.org

The foremost firefighter PFAS authority in the world was invited to speak at the symposium on PFAS in AFFF AND TURNOUT GEAR after Pat Morrison and Mr. X attended the Stockholm convention where Mr. X was a standout speaker on the subject just months earlier (April).

After Mr. X flew to Tennessee from across the world, prepared to give a expansive speech on his studies of PFAS in firefighters and discuss his work in conjunction with Dr Peaslee on turnout gear, Mr. X was benched. He was told he would not be speaking.

During the PFAS presentation portion of the IAFF Cancer Summit, Dr. Peaslee would receive a call from a well respected member of the fire service research community. This researcher wanted clarification on Dr. Peaslee’s study as the researcher felt manufacturers were misrepresenting Dr Peaslee’s study at the summit. Dr. Peaslee provided insight for the researcher’s inquiry.

2020

January 2020 Pat Morrison would officiate ‘ Toxic Substances and The Firefighter. The IAFF Fights Back. During this FB Live event. I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO TO THIS LINK AND VIEW THE FB LIVE EVENT. IN IT YOU WILL HEAR THE IAFF’S HEALTH AND SAFETY LEAD BY PAT MORRISON AND RAQUEL SEGALL PROMULGATE THE EXACT SAME LANGUAGE OF LION GEAR’S DR. PAUL CHROSTOWSKI. Pat Morrison knew what was coming from Dr Peaslee but this was the message sent to the fire service.

LINK TO FB LIFE EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=167741317828229&ref=watch_permalink

Log In or Sign Up to View
See posts, photos and more on Facebook.www.facebook.com

At the moment Raquel promulgates the volleyball and tennis-ball analogy, my phone rings, it’s PPE Specialsit Jeff Knobbe he said, “did you just see that !!”.. that’s exactly what Chrostowski said to me !!! Volleyballs and Tennis-balls !!!

THE IAFF’S HEALTH AND SAFETY TEAM FED THE MEMBERSHIP A UNPUBLISHED, NON-PEER REVIEWED, CONSULTANT STUDY.

ALSO, DURING THIS FB LIVE EVENT AN ATTENDEE WOULD ASK A QUESTION OF PAT MORRISON ABOUT THE PEASLEE STUDY HE WAS AWARE OF. PAT WOULD POLITELY SPEAK TO THE FIREFIGHTER, AND AFTER THE EVENT WOULD CHASE HIM DOWN THE HALL TO ADMONISH HIM PRIVATELY AND ASK IF HE WAS A PLANTE BY DIANE. THE FIREFIGHTER WOULD REPLY, ‘PAT, THIS IS OUR LIVES HERE’. TO WHICH PAT WOULD APOLOGIZE.

After the video I would express my outrage in email to Pat Morrison of which there was no reply. eMail to Pat Morrison, Assistant to GP, International Association of Firefighters.
2/10/2020dianecotter.medium.com

June

Dr. Peaslee study published. It was called a ‘tool’ by IAFF. ZERO efforts to warn, establish protocols, educate the front line from Schaitberger Administration .

After the release of the study I would receive a call from a revered leader in the fire service. He would advise me that he was aware of a meeting that was being held in IAFF’s offices in DC that at least one manufacturer was going to that was to discuss Diane Cotter. What to do about her.

OCTOBER

The following peer reviewed study is released:

Are Fluoropolymers Really of Low Concern for Human and Environmental Health and Separate from Other…
Fluoropolymers are a group of polymers within the class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The objective of…pubs.acs.org

I would write one final email to Pat of which there would be no reply.

2021

January 2021. Change in administration with the election of GP Ed Kelly.

January 2021.

Resolutions 28 and 31 pass to remove PFAS manufacturers from advertisements and cancer summits, and secure only peer reviewed studies for the fire service.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/pfas-resolutions-overwhelmingly-approved-by-firefighters-union

July 11, 2021

General President Ed Kelly submits a TIA to remove the xenon light test from NFPA 1971 Standards. Only PTFE a form of PFAS can meet the 20 year old xenon light test that was written into standard by a Lion Gear supported study from the University of Kentucky. https://www.iaff.org/news/call-to-action-comment-on-proposed-tia-1594-on-nfpa-1971/

July 14, 2021.

General President Ed Kelly is keynote speaker for the Environmental Working Group’s Inaugural PFAS Convention.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=180233720677454

“the data is becoming clearer — the gear that is supposed to be protecting us is poisoning us… it defies logic!!”

October 4, 2021

I would learn that it was John Granby, VP Government Relations and Corporate Responsibility of Lion Gear who boldly pontificated that he was off to a meeting at IAFF heaquarters in DC that was to discuss how to ‘mess with Diane Cotter’.

https://www.lionprotects.com/team-john-granby

https://www.firerescue1.com/legislation-funding/articles/sen-lisa-murkowski-to-chair-congressional-fire-services-caucus-in-117th-congress-lQBlCVkfLbdZiyTZ/

https://www.cfsi.org/

Congressional Fire Services Mission : “….to educate Members of Congress about fire and life safety issues.”

https://famafemsagac.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-Home-Day-Toolkit-Final-6-18-2020.pdf

God help us.

#WHOKNEWWHATANDWHENDIDTHEYKNOWIT

#GreatestDeceptionEver

It is not enough, in my book at least, to accuse and seek justice from chemical companies and the NFPA. We have to look into the H&S officers of the IAFF and what their role was.

dc 10.7.2021

This email was also sent to the offices of many PFAS active lawmakers — begging and grovelling again for investigations from Capitol Hill on the scale of The 9/11 Commission Report.

Sent: Sat, Oct 9, 2021 10:34 am

Subject: Fwd: Congressional Fire Services Caucus Member John Granby; VP of Government Relations and Corporate Responsibility of Lion Gear Brags About His 2020 ‘Meeting To Mess With Firefighter PFAS Activist Diane Cotter in IAFF Washington, DC Headquarters’..

Dear Members of Senator Murkowski’s Staff,

I wish to introduce myself to you and Senator Murkowski, although because I know Senator has worked tirelessly with Senator Shaheen on the issue I advocate for she may already be aware of our work.

My apologies to those not included on yesterday’s email.

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a37624731/cancer-firefighter-gear-pfas/

Our story is featured this month in Men’s Health Magazine. The Toxic Job of Being a Hero Firefighter. This email below brings to light the very sad findings of a recent discovery, confirmed to me just last week by the most well respected man in the fire service — who had nothing to gain by telling me that John Granby, who serves on Senator Murkowski’s Federal Firefighter Caucus conspired with the Schaitberger administration of the IAFF to obstruct the work I was doing to elevate firefighter PFAS exposure, in what I think is a direct conflict of the work Senator Murkowski initiated with Senator Shaheen from my state of New Hampshire.

I do hope you take the time to read, and find it as concerning as I do.

We are asking for Senate investigations on the scale of the 9/11 Commission to not only investigate DuPont, Lion Gear, 3M, etc., but also our fire service institutions. We have waited a very, very long time.

America’s Bravest are owed an investigation that reaches past the corporations.

Sincerely,

Diane Cotter

www.yourturnoutgearandpfoa.com

cc:

Ariel Marshall, Office of Senator Shaheen

Sarah Weinstein, Office of Senator Shaheen

It is now Monday, October 18th. I’ve had a response from Capitol Hill advising there may be a delay in a response.

My theory is that no Senator or Congressman/woman will investigate the POWERFUL IAFF or THE NFPA. Legislators are content to get the CEO’s of DuPont, Chemours and 3M in front of them and wag their finger at them, but not one — in the 4 years I’ve been begging and grovelling for hearings into this mess — not one will investigate the IAFF. They need the support of the labor union for their bills, and their support when the legislators run for office.

So where do we go from here?

Anyone?

Asking for 1.3 million friends.

dc 10.18.2021

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Diane Cotter
Diane Cotter

Written by Diane Cotter

A very private individual who fell into a very public rabbit hole of epic proportions. I call it the #greatestdeceptionever - really, EVER.