Protect Portland firefighters from job-related risks

WHEREAS, the City of Portland has long benefited from the heroic, selfless and dedicated service of its Portland Fire & Rescue personnel; andWHEREAS, firefighting is an inherently dangerous profession that brings repeated exposures to numerous toxic substances, including benzene, asbestos and hexavalent chromium. These exposures lead to a higher rate of cancer among firefighters than among the general population. The cancer risk for firefighters is so high that in July 2022, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared firefighter occupational exposure itself to be a Group 1 carcinogen that is known to cause cancer and harm to human health; andWHEREAS, decades of scientific research have demonstrated the toxic and carcinogenic nature of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, which are a family of synthetic chemicals known as "forever chemicals" due to their persistent presence in both the environment and the human body. Research has linked exposure to PFAS and accumulation of PFAS in the human body to the development of tumors in the liver, reproductive organs, and pancreas; andWHEREAS, in addition to other industrial and commercial uses, PFAS have been utilized in personal protective equipment of firefighters, including turnout gear; andWHEREAS, in November 2023, the IRAC declared perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a polyfluoroalkyl substance found in firefighter personal protective equipment, to be a Group 1 known human carcinogen; andWHEREAS, fire agencies throughout the country, including Portland Fire & Rescue, have worked to reduce levels of occupational exposure to harmful substances, including PFAS, through policies including requiring the cleaning of apparatus cabs regularly and after every fire, requiring the cleaning of personal protective equipment, requiring the use of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) during fire overhaul, and eliminating the use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) that contains PFAS. In 2025, Portland Fire & Rescue eliminated the use of AFFF, also known as Class B firefighting foam, containing PFAS, and has replaced it on all of its apparatus in favor of non-PFAS foam alternatives; andWHEREAS, to address the dangers posed by firefighter personal protective equipment containing PFAS, manufacturers have been developing PFAS-free alternatives; andWHEREAS, there is currently no effective PFAS-free alternative for firefighting personal protective equipment. However, transitioning to PFAS-free materials is an essential step toward protecting firefighters from these dangers.NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council, declare our support for this City's heroic and dedicated firefighters, and we declare our commitment to ensuring their health and safety; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council supports the continued research into the effects of PFAS, and stresses the urgency of finding industry solutions for manufacturing firefighting personal protective equipment that is PFAS-free; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council, requests the City Administrator, as soon as suitable PFAS-free firefighting personal protective equipment is available, to stop the further purchase of firefighting personal protective equipment containing PFAS and replace it with PFAS-free firefighting personal protective equipment; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council, requests the City Administrator, to provide an annual update to the City Council on the progress of this initiative, including the timing for the gradual transition to PFAS-free firefighting personal protective equipment when available, any challenges encountered, a projection in the cost of the transition or changes thereto; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council establish the PFAS Replacement Sub-Fund within the Portland Fire & Rescue Fire Capital Fund and will consider appropriating General Fund underspending to this fund in order to save for the transition to PFAS-free firefighting personal protective equipment.