University of Waterloo engineering grad Drew Davidson was inspired by his mother, a retired Cambridge firefighter, when he began investigating how to eliminate toxic chemicals present in turnout gear used by firefighters.
Davidson's mom, Kelley Willemze thought she knew all the potential risks associated with a job rife with obvious hazards.
What she didn't expect was the danger involved in simply stepping into her turnout gear before arriving at a call.
Truth is, no firefighter knew until two years ago.
In 2022, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association alerted its members of the impact of chemicals known as Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) that were being used in their gear to aid in repelling water and oil, which includes an increased risk of cancer and susceptibility to other diseases.
Through being exposed to heat, which causes sweating and the opening of pores, PFAS can be absorbed through the skin from the inner layer.
"I was shocked," Willemze said of finding out about the PFAS issue.
As her son Drew entered a PhD program in chemical engineering earlier this year, he told CambridgeToday his goal is finding an alternative to PFAS treated material so future firefighters don't have to worry about toxic chemicals in their gear.
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