It wouldn't be very surprising to learn that firefighters put their lives on the line each time they report to an active fire. But according to a recent study, there is another unassuming factor that could be significantly affecting our first responders.
What's happening?
Some wildfires in recent memory have completely devastated local communities. The January 2025 wildfires in California were responsible for the deaths of over two dozen people and destroyed thousands of homes and properties.
Similarly, the Maui wildfires in August 2023 became one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history, impacting thousands of lives. To help combat the flames in Maui, first responders deployed several firefighting methods. Those methods included the use of firefighting foams, many of which contain harmful chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
According to a study published in the Feb. 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, first responders in Maui may have been exposed to borderline dangerous levels of PFAS.
Why is exposure to PFAS important?
As stated in the study, many of the dangers associated with high levels of PFAS exposure consist of cancer, cholesterol level changes, and other adverse health outcomes. Despite precautions taken by first responders, harmful overexposure to PFAS may still occur.
A month after the fires in Maui, officials decided to test 258 Maui County employees in order to have a better understanding of their potential exposure to PFAS. Following the collection of spot urine and blood specimens, the blood serum concentrations were then analyzed by researchers.
Out of the test group, the 178 firefighters who were tested were determined to have the highest serum concentrations of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, one of the most prevalent PFAS in firefighting foams. While the firefighters' serum concentrations were elevated in comparison to other subgroups, the results were mostly considered to be below the recommended threshold for additional medical screening.
The study authors did make one clarification regarding their data. "Because specimen collection occurred approximately one month after the initial response without any baseline measurements, the relative contribution of PFAS from the 2023 Maui wildfires compared with other sources is unclear," the study read.
What's being done about PFAS exposure among first responders?
While data from the study may be inconclusive, the authors noted the threat that wildfires pose to first responders.
"To protect first responders during disasters, it is essential to continue providing strategies for characterizing and reducing exposures, including through the rostering of responders, tracking response activities and use of personal protective equipment, and health monitoring," the authors stated.
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Yes — often 😬 In an effort to reduce the reliance of firefighting foams designed with PFAS, there has been progress in the production of environmentally friendly countermeasures. This also includes research at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory designed to filter and even destroy PFAS.
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