AVOCA, LUZERNE CO. (WOLF) — The Avoca Fire Department is taking further initiative to protect its firefighters from harmful carcinogens and toxins.
The department received a $250,000 Local Share Account grant, which will fund the construction of a dedicated decontamination room. The space will allow firefighters to clean contaminated gear and equipment while helping prevent those substances from spreading throughout the emergency services building.
Studies show firefighters face a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general population, while mortality rates for certain cancers are about 40% higher.
With firefighter gear and equipment containing “forever chemicals,” Michael Lampman with the Avoca Fire Department said they have already taken steps to reduce exposure, including investing in new gear and exploring additional ways to protect its members.
“When the leadership team and the folks here look at things, we look at the statistics of the high incident rate of cancer for firefighters over the general public. And then we look at ways at how do we curtail that for our membership? So, gear is one, and that is keeping gear clean. We’ve upgraded gear. So, some of the newer models of gear don’t contain the forever chemicals and trying to transition away from them as our budget permits,” said Lampman.
To keep contaminated gear away from kitchens, sitting areas and sleeping quarters, the $250,000 grant will create a dedicated decontamination room.
The department plans to contain the decontamination room in its own space, with a separate entrance to keep contaminants away from the rest of the building. Lampman said crews currently have to move dirty gear through common areas to reach the washers, dryers and other cleaning equipment.
“We want to centralize where the cleaning happens after we come back from an incident. Breathing apparatus have to be cleaned and sanitized. Our personal protective equipment that’s been contaminated or exposed to the toxins of the fire, we need to get cleaned. And right now, that happens in various places throughout our building, which means we’re contaminating all of the building by moving this stuff through it in hopes of cleaning it,” said Lampman.
“We’ll have this decontamination room, which will only come in and out of the truck bay, and we’ll have a separate ventilation system so that everything that’s occurring within that room will never spread to the rest of the building through air conditioning or shared ductwork, etc.,” said Lampman.
Lampman said the department has already taken steps to reduce exposure, including installing exhaust systems to remove diesel fumes and conducting decontamination at the scene. He said the new room is the next step in those efforts.
“This is yet another step of a program that we’ve been developing throughout the years, all in the hopes of keeping our members safe and healthy in the long term,” said Lampman.
The Avoca Fire Department is thanking Avoca Borough Council, Senator Marty Flynn, and Representative Jim Haddock for their support in making the project possible.