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LAFD Extractor Campaign

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Defy: Disaster raised nearly $100K to purchase and install twelve carcinogen extractors for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

It is only recently that research has demonstrated the significant impact that the long-term exposure to carcinogens and toxic contaminants have on firefighters: 

  • Cancer caused 70% of firefighter deaths in 2018
  • Firefighters have a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general US population

Thankfully, there are precautions that can be taken to mitigate this risk, including containment of gear, frequent commercial washing of their personal protective equipment (PPE) and regular bathing and cleaning after any type of fire or hazardous material incident.

The extractors that Defy: Disaster was able to provide are large commercial grade washing machines that remove carcinogens from the firefighter’s personal protective clothing. By using these extractors, the short-and-long term exposure to known and unknown contaminants will be reduced through the regular cleaning of the firefighter’s work garments.