I guess that's obvious but how they can kill you over the long term. They have studied fighting fires in buildings and have found they bring elevated risks of cancer, heart and lung disease, and even mental health issues. But now they have realized that forest fire smoke is full of compounds and components that are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The wildland firefighters and crews breathe carbon monoxide that can cause a significant and immediate loss in cognitive function. And there is more: a host of other toxins in the smoke, exposure to smoke laced with chemicals from herbicides that were applied to forests before they caught fire.
Their protection? A bandana is the only respiratory protective equipment recommended for firefighters to carry. And the EPA and many other health agencies warn that it doesn't actually help reduce particulate exposure. But experts say there's no easy alternative. The basic N95 respirators available to the general public don't hold up to the intense conditions of a fire. And the respirators that structural firefighters use are heavy, reduce vision and can only supply clean air for a short period of time. Wildfire shifts are generally 12 hours.
No comments:
Post a Comment