DES MOINES, Iowa — As firefighters run into a burning structure to extinguish flames, whatever's on fire can release carcinogens. Those cancer-causing materials can then go straight to a first responder's lungs.
In Des Moines, more and more firefighters are dealing with these health effects.
"We're finding as we move forward, more and more things are giving us cancer" said Joe Van Haalen, president of the Des Moines Association of Professional Firefighters.
At least 10 Des Moines firefighters have been diagnosed with some form of cancer since 2018, according to the department.
"We found out that the gear we’re wearing to protect ourselves and others is full of PFAS, and PFAS is a known carcinogen," Van Haalen told Local 5.
Two well-known firefighters in the Des Moines community – Brian Stoaks and Mike Broderick – have faced very public battles with cancer this year. While Broderick continues to fight stage four liver cancer, Stoaks lost his battle back in August.
In Iowa, however, Stoaks and Broderick's cancers are not one of the 14 cancers covered under the Presumptive Disability Law. This means that their would not receive certain pension benefits, according to Van Haalen.
"If we could say that Mike's cancer was on the job, his family stands to benefit greatly... we just want to make sure that's there no matter what happens for all of our people," Van Haalen told Local 5.
In the new year, the Des Moines Association of Professional Firefighters hopes to take their efforts to the capitol, and pass new legislation that would include all cancers under the law.
Since last year, the Des Moines Fire Department has made major investments into their stations to reduce cancer-causing effects, implementing new systems to separate toxic air. They also have better procedures for cleaning their gear.
"The Des Moines Fire Department is working really hard as we build new stations to try to understand what it is that are in these stations that are potentially causing us problems," Van Haalen said.