03.Oktober 2013
Study to track firefighter exposure to chemicals
By Paul Koenig pkoenig@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer
AUGUSTA — Frank Ober, a former firefighter and now a selectman in Whitefield, said he remembers when having the dirtiest turnout suit after a fire was a point of pride for firefighters.
Select images available for purchase in the
Maine Today Photo Store
The times have changed, and research now shows firefighters are at a greater risk of developing cancer because of exposure to toxic chemicals while fighting fires.
A recently published study of firefighters in California from Dr. Susan Shaw, an environmental scientist based in Blue Hill, found higher levels of chemicals from commercial flame retardants and other household materials than expected, increasing firefighters’ risk of developing cancer later in life. ...
http://www.kjonline.com/news/Study-to-t ... icals.html