Firefighters still wary of air tank contaminants

August 10, 2002

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Thursday, August 08, 2002

By L. Ronders

JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Flint -- Although recent retirements have slowed their efforts, firefighters

will continue to seek answers to what caused the death of one firefighter

and led to the cancer or lung-related illnesses of several others.

Officials of Flint Firefighters Union Local 352 said they are looking for a

company to test five air tanks for mold and fungus.

" We've had such a huge changeover (in personnel) that it's been difficult to

get our safety committee together, " said Mark Kovach, president of Local

352. " A lot of people who were on that committee have left the department.

But we still plan on having these tanks tested. "

The city's financial plight prompted 14 firefighters to retire since April,

including eight in June. The fire department ranks have dwindled by 40

percent since January 2001, creating vacancies on the safety committee,

Kovach said.

Once the vacancies are filled, the committee will focus on the tanks and

other issues, he said, but was uncertain when the tanks would be sent out

for testing.

" It bothered a lot of us that several people (firefighters) became ill,

people who aren't that old, " Kovach said. " The tanks have never been checked

(to see if there's a link between the tanks and the illnesses befalling

firefighters). We checked the air content (with negative results). We'd like

to find out if there is a link between equipment and the illnesses. "

Earlier this year, firefighters sent the five tanks in question to the state

Occupational Health and Safety Administration laboratory for analysis for

contaminants. The tests, which proved negative with no contaminants found,

came after firefighters became alarmed about a rash of illnesses in their

ranks.

Lt. Voorhess died in December 2000, two months after he was admitted to

a hospital with pneumonia after fighting a fire. Several other firefighters

since have been diagnosed with cancer or lung-related illnesses.

***

L. Ronders can be reached at (810) 766-6314 or

eronders@....

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