In the growing mass of litigation over the impacts of “forever chemicals,” cases filed by thousands of firefighters are getting increased attention, both in Congress and in the courts.
A major reason is that firefighters face a triple threat from exposure to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS: in the smoke and ashes from fires, in the foam used to suppress flames and in the gear meant to protect them from fire, heat and water.
Take the case of Jesse Powell, a firefighter in Memphis, Tenn., with 20 years of service who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021 and then, after the cancer spread following his prostatectomy, underwent 34 rounds of radiation therapy.
