How FEMSA Lobbied For NO Warning Labels In Your Gear and Voted In ‘No Warning Labels’ into a NFPA 1971 Standard.
3 min readNov 7, 2021
YOUR TURNOUT GEAR AND PFOA
The problem we have is the industry refers to PFOA content as ‘trace amounts’ - a very subjective term. We needed labels in your gear telling you what the chemical additives are and their tested content amount.
That never happened- and here’s why:
The same manufacturers that advise ‘trace amounts’ are nothing to worry about make up FEMSA, Fire and Emergency Manufacturers Services Association.
Manufacturers lobbied for the right to NOT place warning labels in your PPE. It is called ‘The Liability Bill’ and is proudly posted on their history page. Manufacturers then brought their desires to NFPA and voted in a standard that rejects ‘warning labels’ on firefighter turnout gear — see below.
For DECADES, DuPont knew it was being investigated for PFOA. So while the FEMSA supports many FF cancer research programs, it is silent on PFOA. The manufacturers who knew or should have known sit on NFPA as voting members of #1971, while they are and were aware of the toxin PFOA, and while they were aware the European Union was removing it from your PPE. They were notified in 2006 by ECHA.
Not once did they bring this subject up as a matter of concern. But MANUFACTURERS DID PROTEST having warning labels in your gear while SERVING on NFPA 1971.
You have ‘product labels’ in your turnout gear. You have never seen a ‘Prop 65 label. This is why. Manufacturers decided against it for you. Imagine if you ever saw a ‘Prop 65 Warning’ next to your junk? Wouldn’t you have said what the hell I’m sweating like a pig in this shit and my body absorbs toxins right?
Thank the voting members of NFPA — the Manufacturers.
Warning label conversation on page 2.
Like all industry groups FEMSA has a Government Affairs Group where they lobby for “asks”… and the big dogs make their positions well known on Capitol Hill.
oh look ! There’s DuPont, 3M, and Lion…
You never had a chance.
#greatestdeceptionever
#shutterNFPA
DC 11.7.2021