Ruben Gallego Demands Trump Administration Adequately Protect Federal Firefighters

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) spearheaded a recent letter to several Trump Administration figures demanding they ensure that federal firefighters are adequately protected from smoke inhalation and other health hazards.

In the letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-De-Remer, Sen. Gallego writes, "every day, wildland firefighters risk their lives to combat wildfire and keep us safe from longer and more extreme fire seasons. This often requires multiple days and weeks – and sometimes months – being exposed to the smoke and other products of combustion generated from these fires."

More worryingly, wildfire smoke is highly toxic, which can lead to adverse health effects even after short-term exposure, including lung damage, vision damage, and heart problems.

A recent New York Times article further detailed how federal firefighters continue to fall ill from smoke inhalation and exposure, as many go unmasked when fighting fires.

"One key tool in protecting against this exposure is wearing a proper mask to mitigate the respiratory negative health outcomes of smoke inhalation – a recommendation that researchers have been making to the Forest Service since at least 1997," Sen. Gallego noted, adding, "However, still no masks or other type of respiratory protection is provided to federal wildland firefighters as a part of their personal protective equipment (PPE)."

As a result, the Arizona Senator demanded answers to multiple questions by the end of September, including details on how federal firefighters will be adequately protected during assignments.

"We hope to work with you to ensure that our federal firefighters, who put their lives on the line to protect the public and their public lands, are appropriately protected themselves," the letter concluded.

Gallego's letter follows a bill he introduced in late July, the Federal Firefighters Families First Act, which standardizes a 60-hour workweek while maintaining current wages, ensuring that full wages are paid to a firefighter for their hours of scheduled overtime, rather than only valuing these hours at their introductory rate of pay.