BOSTON - Gov. Maura Healey signed a bill Thursday afternoon banning the use of PFAS, or forever chemicals, in firefighter equipment in the state.

Three out of every four firefighters who died in 2022, died of occupational cancer according to the International Association of Firefighters. It's cancer which can be traced back to PFAS. Forever chemicals used to make turnout gear. The very thing firefighters wear to protect them, has been making them sick.

“You can see the blaze, and you guys can feel the heat,” said Healey. “It's another thing the silent killer that's been out there actually among us for years. And that's for us these dangerous, dangerous chemicals.”

Paul Cotter, a Worcester firefighter, was diagnosed with cancer just weeks after being promoted to lieutenant. The diagnosis ended his career. That's when his wife Diane started to look into how this could happen.  

“We knew so many firefighters with cancer,” said Diane Cotter. “We looked everywhere and I could only find that the cancers were from the products of combustion or diesel smoke. 

That is until she found PFAS and it sent her on a new mission. She has advocated for future firefighters like her son, who currently works on the same truck his father once did. 

State Sen. Michael Moore, a sponsor of the bill, recognized Diane’s relentless advocacy on behalf of her family. 

“Legislators get all the credit and praise. We get to come up here and speak on behalf of these great initiatives,” said Moore. “But Diane, who's the wife of a Worcester firefighter, Paul, is the one that brought this to our attention.”

“I’m a firefighters wife first and foremost, and I’m an activist now,” said Diane. “This is a great win, and we are rejoicing today!”

Now the state will ensure all turnout gear is replaced with gear which is deemed to be safe by providing occupational cancer screenings to firefighters and ban any PFAS from being used in new equipment.