PFAS in Turnout Gear: What Firefighters Should Know About Forever Chemicals

If you wear turnout gear, you need to understand PFAS. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called forever chemicals, are a class of man-made chemicals that have been used in firefighting gear for decades. They are in the outer shell fabric for water and chemical repellency. They are in the moisture barrier for waterproofing. They are present in multiple layers of the gear that you strap on every time the tones drop.

The problem is that PFAS do not break down. Not in the environment, not in water treatment systems, and not in your body. Once they get in, they stay. And the growing body of research linking PFAS exposure to cancer, thyroid disease, immune system disruption, and reproductive problems has forced the fire service to confront an uncomfortable reality: the gear designed to protect us from fire may be contributing to another threat entirely.

This is a developing issue, and the science is still evolving. But here is what we know right now and what you should be thinking about.

What Are PFAS and Why Are They in Our Gear

PFAS are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that share a common feature: a chain of carbon atoms bonded to fluorine atoms. This carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest in organic chemistry, which is why these chemicals are so durable and why they persist indefinitely in the environment.

In turnout gear, PFAS have been used primarily for their water-repellent and oil-repellent properties. The outer shell of your turnout coat and pants is treated with PFAS-based durable water repellent finishes that cause water, chemicals, and other liquids to bead up and roll off the fabric. The moisture barrier, the layer that keeps water from penetrating to the thermal liner, has historically been made using PFAS-based films. Without these treatments, your gear would absorb water, become heavy, and lose its protective properties.

From a performance standpoint, PFAS have been incredibly effective. They helped make modern turnout gear lighter, more breathable, and more protective than anything that came before. The problem is that we did not fully understand the health implications of chronic low-level exposure to these chemicals through skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion.

How Firefighters Are Exposed

The primary exposure pathway for firefighters is dermal absorption through direct skin contact with gear. You sweat inside your gear. That sweat can mobilize PFAS from the fabric and carry them into contact with your skin. Heat accelerates this process, which means the highest exposure likely occurs during active firefighting operations when both temperature and perspiration are at their peak.

Inhalation is another pathway. When gear is stored in enclosed spaces like apparatus cabs or station living areas, PFAS can off-gas at low levels. When gear is heated during firefighting operations, off-gassing increases. When gear is handled, manipulated, or maintained, particles containing PFAS can become airborne.

Ingestion occurs through hand-to-mouth contact after handling gear. If you adjust your gear, touch your face, eat food, or drink water without washing your hands first, you may be ingesting PFAS that were on the surface of the fabric.

What the Research Shows

Studies have found elevated levels of PFAS in firefighter blood compared to the general population. A 2022 study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that firefighters who wore turnout gear had measurably higher levels of certain PFAS compounds in their blood. The levels increased with years of service and frequency of gear contact.

The health effects associated with PFAS exposure include increased risk of certain cancers (kidney, testicular, prostate, and bladder), thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol, immune system suppression, liver damage, and reproductive effects. Many of these conditions overlap with the elevated cancer rates already observed in firefighters, which raises the question of how much of the firefighter cancer burden is attributable to fireground exposures versus gear exposures, or a combination of both.

It is important to note that proving a direct causal link between turnout gear PFAS exposure and specific health outcomes in individual firefighters is extremely difficult. The science is clear that PFAS exposure causes health problems, but isolating the contribution of gear versus all the other PFAS sources in modern life (drinking water, food packaging, nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing) is a challenge researchers are still working through.

What Is Changing in the Standards

The National Fire Protection Association is actively working on this issue through updates to NFPA 1971, the standard for structural firefighting protective ensembles. You can follow developments through nfpa.org. The conversation within standards committees has shifted from whether to address PFAS to how quickly alternatives can be implemented without compromising the protective performance of the gear.

Several major gear manufacturers have begun developing PFAS-free outer shells and moisture barriers. Some products are already on the market, and more are expected in the coming years. The challenge is that PFAS-free alternatives need to match the performance of PFAS-based materials in terms of water repellency, durability, breathability, and thermal protection. Early results are promising, but the technology is still maturing.

Some states have already enacted or proposed legislation banning PFAS in turnout gear by specific dates. These legislative timelines are creating pressure on manufacturers to accelerate development of alternatives.

What You Should Do Now

First, be aware of the issue. Understanding that your gear contains chemicals that may pose a health risk allows you to take informed precautions. This is not about fear. It is about awareness.

Second, minimize unnecessary gear contact. Do not handle your gear and then touch your face or food without washing your hands. Do not store gear in your personal vehicle or living spaces where you and your family may be exposed. Do not use your gear bag as a pillow or sit on your bunker pants during lunch.

Third, wash your hands thoroughly after handling gear. This is simple and effective. Soap and water removes PFAS from skin surfaces and prevents ingestion through hand-to-mouth contact.

Fourth, advocate for proper gear storage at your station. Gear should be stored in ventilated spaces separate from living areas. Off-gassing from dozens of sets of gear in an enclosed room is a chronic low-level exposure that can be mitigated with proper ventilation.

Fifth, support your department in transitioning to PFAS-free gear as it becomes available and proven. When your department is in the purchasing cycle for new gear, ask about PFAS-free options. Engage your safety committee and your union in the conversation. The market will respond to demand, and firefighters demanding safer gear accelerates the transition.

Sixth, get your blood tested. PFAS blood testing is available and can establish your baseline levels. This information is valuable for personal health monitoring and may be important if you ever need to demonstrate occupational exposure.

The Bottom Line

PFAS in turnout gear is not a simple issue with a simple solution. The chemicals that may harm us are the same chemicals that have made our gear more protective against thermal hazards. Moving away from PFAS requires alternatives that do not compromise safety on the fireground. That transition is happening, but it takes time.

In the meantime, informed firefighters who take reasonable precautions are better off than firefighters who ignore the issue. Know what is in your gear. Minimize unnecessary exposure. Advocate for change. And keep watching as the science and the standards evolve.

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