This is really just a doom-y post, b/c I can't stop thinking about it & don't know what to do about it, but we're likely gonna be looking at a 9-11 level firefighter health crisis from these fires. And I worry that the fight for care will be even harder this time, especially for incarcerated FFs. - ThreadSky

jillybobww.bsky.social • 41 days ago

This is really just a doom-y post, b/c I can't stop thinking about it & don't know what to do about it, but we're likely gonna be looking at a 9-11 level firefighter health crisis from these fires. And I worry that the fight for care will be even harder this time, especially for incarcerated FFs.

Comments

jillybobww.bsky.social•41 days ago

We think of firefighter gear as protecting firefighters from toxic chemicals and ash. But a) the gear's mainly to protect from immediate danger (burns, smoke inhalation), & b) only 3% of LAFD's budget goes to equipment purchase & maintenance. Older gear & lack of cleaning equipment = more exposure.

jillybobww.bsky.social•41 days ago

Residue from fires - carcinogenic chemicals from plastics & fire-retardant fabrics, lead, asbestos, etc - adheres to the gear firefighters wear. The dept doesn't pay for the washing machines that can remove that residue, so FFs raise the money themselves. I don't even know what incarcerated FFs do.

jillybobww.bsky.social•41 days ago

In normal circumstances, firefighters have a 14% higher rate of death from cancer than the general population. Now, think of our LAFD firefighters in this toxic air, day after day. And think of incarcerated young adults, and the (lack of) support system they're likely to have upon release.

jillybobww.bsky.social•41 days ago

We are gonna need major advocacy for these firefighters down the line. I don't know how we do it (hence my disclaimer that this is doomsaying at the top of the thread), & right now, again, we have thousands of people in immediate need. And we don't even know what the country will be like next year!

jillybobww.bsky.social•41 days ago

Anyway, apologies if this has depressed everyone even more than they were already depressed, because we are living in grim enough times as it is. But again, I just can't stop thinking about this, and I felt like someone had to get these thoughts out there.

nmgrif.bsky.social•41 days ago

And talk about being preventable. 😞

ericbertsch.bsky.social•41 days ago

I’m not in the smoke zone.
But I’ve been coughing my head off for 4 days now.

doowopcinderblock.bsky.social•41 days ago

So one thing, and this will sound wrong, is maybe stop using fire retardants in mattresses, couches, etc. A big push from that came from tobacco lobbyists, delaying the rollout of self-extinguishing cigarettes in 2000.

ericbertsch.bsky.social•40 days ago

My sister drove into Oregon to buy her no flame retardant mattress.
California requires the stuff. So dumb!

doowopcinderblock.bsky.social•41 days ago

Chicago Tribune got the 2012 Pulitzer for uncovering this.

https://emagazine.com/big-tobaccos-role-in-pushing-flame-retardants/

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/05/31/flame-retardant-lobby

https://www.pulitzer.org/files/finalists/2013/chictrib2013/chictrib03.pdf

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply