BACKGROUND: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a five-year grant to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to expand monitoring of state residents’ exposure to toxic environmental chemicals. Under this grant, MDHHS is launching a surveillance system to determine exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) among Michigan firefighters. PFAS are commonly found in Class B foams and firefighting protective gear, therefore, firefighters are uniquely exposed to PFAS.

OBJECTIVE: To determine average PFAS exposure in Michigan firefighters.

METHODS: This project is a cross-sectional design with data collection spanning over multiple years. The population will be drawn from municipal and airport fire departments in Michigan utilizing a stratified sampling approach, subdividing the fire departments into five strata: (1) non-urban airports, (2) urban airports, (3) other non-urban, (4) other urban, and (5) City of Detroit. Current career and volunteer firefighters from the selected fire departments in each of five strata will be invited to participate. Participants will have their blood tested for 39 PFAS as well as take an online survey to collect information about sources of PFAS exposure. The drinking water for participating fire stations will also be tested for PFAS.

RESULTS: Forty-nine fire departments were selected, seven of which are invited to participate in 2021. Seven of the seven (100%) fire departments selected for 2021 have agreed to participate. Data collection commences April 2021 through mid-June. Survey, blood, and water results will be analyzed to characterize PFAS exposure.

CONCLUSION: The results from this project will help establish average PFAS exposure among Michigan firefighters and help identify job-related PFAS exposure sources that may contribute to serum PFAS levels. The results from the PFOMS project will also help local, state, and federal agencies understand more about PFAS exposure in Michigan firefighters and inform decisions to minimize it.