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Legislative resolution calls for push to replace PFAS in firefighter gear; lawmakers hear personal testimony
Summary
At a Jan. 30 committee public hearing, sponsors and firefighter representatives urged Oregon to commit to replacing firefighting turnout gear that contains PFAS as non‑PFAS alternatives and funding mechanisms become available; testimony emphasized occupational cancer concerns and called for research and industry action.
Representative Dacia Graber opened the public hearing on House Concurrent Resolution 2 (HCR 2) before the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans on Jan. 30, 2025. The resolution declares a commitment to the health and safety of Oregon firefighters and to finding alternatives to firefighting personal protective gear that contain PFAS chemicals.
Graber said the resolution would signal state support for research and for an eventual regulatory shift once viable non‑PFAS gear is available. Captain Alan Ferschweiler, representing the Oregon State Firefighters Council, and other firefighters described PFAS as “forever chemicals” that have been found in turnout gear and said repeated occupational exposure has been linked to higher rates of cancer among firefighters. They urged industry action and a plan to replace PFAS‑containing gear when safe alternatives exist.
Witnesses described how PFAS can be absorbed through the skin, can leach from fabric, and can accumulate in the body; they said existing decontamination and work‑practice improvements have not eliminated the elevated cancer risk. Kathy Keithley, a Gresham city councilor whose husband and son are firefighters, testified in support and urged state assistance for local departments that will face substantial replacement costs.
Testifiers noted that international and national organizations, including the International Association of Fire Fighters and standards bodies such as the National Fire Protection Association, are engaged on the issue. Committee members asked about the global effort to develop substitutes; speakers said manufacturers and standards groups are working on alternatives but that transitions will be complex and costly. The committee closed the public hearing and placed written testimony into the record.
