Naperville approves extra $400K to replace firefighter gear containing 'forever chemicals'

Naperville officials are committing an extra $400,000 for the city's fire department to replace fire-resistant clothing containing cancer-linked "forever chemicals."

The unanimous decision by the city council was an unanticipated addition to the 2023 budget. But it was deemed important because the fire department's "turnout" gear - pants, coats, hoods and gloves - contains polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS/PFOA, that have been found to increase rates of liver, kidney and other cancers.

The city initially budgeted $100,000 for the routine replacement of turnout gear. With the additional funds, the total expenditure will be $500,000 as part of a $1.1 million budget for fire department vehicles and equipment.

"This is not just a Naperville issue," said Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis. "This is an issue not only across the state, but across the country. There are many others who purchased turnout gear with this unfortunate result."

City officials said litigation was underway through the International Association of Firefighters against the manufacturer of the gear and producers of the chemicals.

According to officials, the forever chemicals in the turnout gear react to UV light and high heat, causing the chemicals to break down and release gasses.

The shells of the gear pose the greatest threat because they are directly exposed to light and heat.

Because no manufacturer currently offers complete sets of chemical-free turnout gear, the city will replace the shells now and buy new liners later as chemical-free options become available.

Naperville will purchase the $500,000 worth of chemical-free gear from Alexis Fire Equipment.

Each Naperville firefighter is issued two sets of gear. One set of shells will be replaced with these funds, and the backup set will be replaced during future gear rotations.

"I imagine sometime in the future there may be a good opportunity for us to potentially get reimbursed for this cost," Puknaitis said. "I hope so."