Study: Chemicals linked to cancer found in some firefighters after 2023 Maui fires
By ‘A’ali’i Dukelow
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MAUI, Hawai’i (KITV) — Some Maui fire fighters were found to have elevated levels of chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases after the island’s 2023 fires, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded.
A total of 258 county employees were tested for the harmful substances, known as PFAS, including more than 170 fire fighters. After analyzing blood samples about a month after the disaster, researchers reported the fire fighters had higher concentrations of the chemicals compared to other participants.
One of the fire fighters had 2.5 times higher levels of “forever chemicals” than the others in the study and was told to seek further medical screening. The contaminants are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they linger for years and do not break down naturally.
Prominent Hawai’i physician Dr. Scott Miscovich said, “they (fire fighters) are going to be at risk for numerous cancers the rest of their lives.”
Bobby Lee, president of the Hawai’i Fire Fighters Association, added, “experts came in, we were told that actually what our Lahaina fire fighters went through was just as bad, if not worse, than the World Trade Center.”
Fighting the 2023 Lahaina fire was compared to 911, Lee explained, because of how old the town’s infrastructure was, built with chemicals and paint that were banned for decades and that first responders were likely exposed to.
Miscovich was not surprised by the CDC’s findings.
“This is a risk that they carry and it goes along with the job,” Miscovich said.
Lee said the union is reviewing training procedures and personal protective equipment, as well as backing legislation to make workers compensation more accessible.
“Instead of having our fire fighters trying to prove how they actually got cancer,” Lee shared.
Island News asked to interview some of the fire fighters who took part in the study, but the results followed patient privacy laws, so none of the participants were named.
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