PFAS is one of the hottest topics in the firefighter community. For years, firefighters have been exposed to these toxic “forever chemicals” through the safety gear that is meant to keep them safe.
Now, we see a shift right across North America. Just this month, the San Francisco Fire Department became the latest to announce a transition to PFAS-free safety gear for firefighters. Here, we look at what the drivers are for this, and why it is so hard.
What are PFAS compounds?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of fluorine-containing manmade chemicals. These chemicals have many unique properties that have led to their widespread use in the last few decades. These properties include being water repellent, heat resistant, greaseproof, and non-stick.
Some of the best known chemical brands of the 20th century were made with PFAS. These included:
- Teflon®, the trade name for PTFE, one of the very first PFAS compounds
- Scotchguard®, the original water and stain-resistant fabric treatment
- GoreTex®, the first breathable waterproof membrane that revolutionized outdoor gear.
What’s the problem with PFAS?
For almost 40 years, scientists have raised concerns about the safety of PFAS chemicals. PFAS compounds rapidly accumulate in the environment and the human body. They are remarkably stable chemicals and are extremely hard to break down.
By the early 2000s there was clear evidence that PFAS is not only damaging the environment but also harming human health. Since then, numerous research studies have identified health problems that are linked with PFAS including cancers, immunosuppression, cardiovascular disease, infertility, and more.
Why are PFAS so prevalent in firefighter gear?
Firefighters wear extremely high performance protective equipment known as “turnout gear”. This turnout gear is among the best engineered personal protective equipment in the world. It has to perform a number of functions that turn an ordinary human being into a super hero. These functions include:
- Water proofing: Preventing the wearer from getting drenched by water during firefighting operations
- Heat proofing: Protecting the wearer against extreme high temperatures that reach levels far higher than even the hottest pizza oven
- Breathability: Wicking moisture away from the wearer to ensure they don’t literally boil in their own sweat
- Grease resistance: Protecting the wearer from getting covered in flammable grease and oil during hazardous missions
On top of all this, the equipment has to be comfortable enough to be worn for many hours at a time in extremely hostile environments.
If you look at the list above, you quickly realize why the gear manufacturers turned to PFAS as the solution to provide the required protection. However, the upshot of this has been to expose firefighters to these toxic chemicals every time they wear their turnout gear.
What is being done about PFAS in turnout gear?
In the past few years, there has been a concerted effort to get PFAS banned from turnout gear. Initially, this only had limited impact. One reason for the slow pace of change has been the hard challenges of finding alternatives to PFAS that meet the strict requirements for turnout gear. So, there has been something of a chicken and egg situation. But last year, that began to change.
Notable PFAS-free fire departments
There have been a few notable announcements about fire departments going PFAS-free.
San Francisco
In May 2024, the City of San Francisco announced a new Ordinance banning the use of PFAS in firefighter turnout gear. The deadline was June 2026. In December 2025, the Fire Department announced that they had secured a FEMA grant for over $2M to allow them to transition. By the end of 2025, around 1,100 new sets of PFAS-free turnout gear will have been distributed across the whole city. This makes San Francisco the largest PFAS-free fire department in the country.
Vancouver
Vancouver in Canada was the first major fire department in the world to go PFAS-free. They have chosen StedFast’s StedAIR Clear firefighting coats and pants and have provided a one-off budget increase of $2.8 million to cover the costs.
The State of Massachusetts
In August, 2024, the governor of Massachusetts signed a bill to protect firefighters from toxic PFAS in turnout gear. In this legislation, manufacturers are required to provide written notification to fire departments at the time of purchase if turnout gear contains PFAS. And starting in 2027, manufacturers will be prohibited from selling gear that they know contain “intentionally-added PFAS.”
These are not the only places to formally ditch PFAS in turnout gear, but they are the most significant as they represent a combined requirement for many millions of dollars of new gear.
Looking ahead
As things stand, most firefighting PPE still contains PFAS. Research indicates that PFAS-free turnout gear may not perform quite as well as the now-traditional PFAS-containing gear. However, with more and more municipalities and even states looking to mandate PFAS-free gear, it can only be a matter of time before the gear manufacturers step up to the plate. Meanwhile, we are seeing some interesting innovations, like Armadillo promoting Merino wool for PFAS-free base layers and station wear.
This blog was originally published on our sister site, Firefighter Toxin Tests. It has been updated to reflect the latest news from San Francisco.
