Q: Tommi, wildfire fighting is one of the most demanding jobs in the world. From BreatheSafe's perspective, what are the primary health challenges facing these professionals?
Tommi Perkins: Wildfire firefighters have an incredibly strenuous task, often working up to 24 hours straight in high-temperature and high-smoke conditions. For a long time, smoke from wood fires was presumed relatively safe, but research has proven this is not the case. The smoke contains a dangerous mix of gases and particulates, with studies identifying up to 31 carcinogens.
The challenge is that prolonged exposure to these fine particulates and gases, which is an industry given, causes significant and permanent lung damage. This can lead to cancers, COPD, and other serious respiratory illnesses. Many in the industry still believe they can't burden firefighters with PPE because of the risk of overheating in a high-intensity, remote environment, but modern medical research is now highlighting the massive damage being done to firefighters’ lungs.
While wearing heavy PPE in the field can be impractical, we can still protect firefighters by creating a clean and safe breathing environment inside the enclosures of their vehicles and heavy machinery, where many are either operating or taking a moment’s respite.
