Firefighters confront not just heat and flames when they rush in to battle a blazing building. Often these fires emit choking smoke and particulate matter laced with cancer-causing contaminants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters.
Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday announced $10 million in grants to help New Jersey departments buy expensive protective equipment. Murphy said it would be “sophisticated, 21st century gear — helmets, PPE, stuff that detoxes uniforms when they’re washed and after an event, takes the carcinogens out, so really important … That’s a big deal because it’s those harmful toxins that are tragically giving firefighters disproportionate rates of cancer.” The money comes from federal American Rescue Plan funds.
