If Wellsville (OH) is an example, local fire stations responding to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine are now facing expensive gear replacement costs due to the exposure to carcinogens while the train cars burned, reviewonline.com reported.

The Wellsville Fire Department is looking at an estimated $100,000 worth of gear to replace if not more, according to a fire official, the report said.

The fire department has seven sets of turn-out gear (protective garment worn by firefighters) to replace at an estimated cost of $5,000 a set. This includes, helmet, coat, pants, boots, gloves and Nomex hood.

Turn-out gear is primarily for thermal protection and does not protect a firefighter from carcinogens or dangerous chemicals in the air which can be absorbed through the skin.

According to the fire official, those departments purchasing this gear from multiple manufacturers are being advised to call the manufacturers for recommendations, the report said.

PHOTOS: A two-alarm fire gutted a South Jersey home Tuesday night. It happened just before 8 p.m. on the 200 block of Port Elizabeth-Cumberland Road in Maurice River Township. Action News obtained dramatic video of the inferno-like scene from the ground as intense flames burned through the two-story house.
- PUB DATE: 2/15/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPVI-TV ABC 6 Philadelphia

Three Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams containing IAFF members continue to search for survivors in the aftermath of the deadly Feb. 6 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The death toll has now surpassed 36,000. “Our USAR team members are dedicated fire fighters trained to work in harrowing situations,” said General President Edward Kelly.
- PUB DATE: 2/15/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Firefighters

New Philadelphia has extended the time that firefighters have to earn their paramedic certification in hopes of expanding the pool of potential employees. On Monday, council approved an ordinance that gives firefighters hired by the city two years to earn their certification. Previously, they had one year to do that.
- PUB DATE: 2/15/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Times Reporter - Metered Site

PFAS chemicals help protect firefighters by repelling water and oils off their gear. They’re also used to make fire-suppressing foams “extremely effective.” Firefighters were found to be more likely to get diagnosed with cancer and more likely to die from it, according to research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
- PUB DATE: 2/15/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFYI-FM 90.1 Indianapolis