WORCESTER - Former Worcester firefighter Paul Cotter's cancer diagnosis came as a shock to him and his wife, Diane.
"After his diagnosis, we started to look into why someone so fit like Paul might contract cancer," Diane said.
Cotter's career ended a month after becoming a lieutenant in 2014.
It's when Diane began began looking into the turnout gear for firefighters, developing an independent study with Notre Dame University professor Graham Peaslee.
In a study released this week, researchers tested 30 new and used firefighting gear sets from manufacturers across the country for harmful chemicals.
The results were shocking.
"They were stunned. The levels were so high, they had never seen levels in garments this high," Paul said.
"The chemical PFOA [Perfluorooctanoic acid] is known to grow tumors in what is called very low undetectable amounts," Diane added.
They say multiple layers of turnout gear were extensively treated with the potentially harmful chemicals, also known as forever chemicals.
Some which had direct contact with human skin had levels as well.
Paul said, "Studies have shown that this carcinogen, when it degrades, it comes off the gear. It comes off so it's on our skin, it's in the dust, in the air."
Peaslee's study also finds these forever chemicals are linked to four of the top eight cancers found in firefighters.
He's now working on a study, breaking down impacts these chemicals have on skin.
And while encouraged, the Cotters know there is still a lot of work ahead. "Going forward, we really have to get to the bottom of who knew what," says Diane.
Cotter says, ultimately, her goal is providing firefighters with gear that keeps them safe from these dangerous chemicals. She says firefighters go through enough on a daily basis and the last thing they should be worried about is getting sick from their own gear.