By Brian Crimmins
Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in a firehouse can make you sick. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that in a typical building, indoor contamination can reach concentrations 200% to 500% greater than outdoor air. Firehouse pollution could be more severe, given the presence of vehicle exhaust and chemicals off-gassing from personal protective equipment (PPE). Indoor exposure to formaldehyde, particulate matter, exhaust, and volatile organic compounds can have short-term detriment including headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and eye/nose/throat irritation. If not properly addressed, long-term exposure may lead to cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Several simple preventive steps can improve firefighter health and performance and minimize the risk of exposure.
Health Impact
Research underscores the importance of air quality. A recent Harvard University study of office workers demonstrated that exposure to elevated particulate matter and poor ventilation lead to decreases in cognition, response times, productivity, and the ability to focus.1 A study of baseball umpires showed an 11.5% increase in incorrect calls when exposed to an additional 1 part per million (ppm) carbon monoxide and 2.5% more incorrect calls with a slight exposure to particulate matter.2 Another 2019 study demonstrated that exposure to particulate matter can lead to neuroinflammation, damage to the blood brain barrier, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.3 The EPA even recommends IAQ management in schools to reduce absences resulting from asthma and allergens and to improve teacher and student performance.4 Particulate matter in these studies is known as “PM2.5,” inhalable pollution particles sized 2.5 micrometers or smaller.
Air Pollution Sources
Diesel exhaust is a common source of air contamination in firehouses. An inspection of my department’s vehicle exhaust removal system identified deteriorated ducts, damaged hoses, broken couplings, and other significant deficiencies. There is no doubt that chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and other carcinogenic hydrocarbons polluted the indoor air while the system was in use. Thankfully, we replaced the vehicle exhaust system in all firehouses using an Assistance to Firefighters Grant and maintained our supplementary filtration systems in apparatus areas.
When stored in firehouses, contaminated turnout gear will pollute the air and create an inhalation hazard for firefighters. Harmful chemicals found in smoke include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and several other organic and inorganic compounds. After fires, these chemicals remain on turnout gear and equipment. Without adequate decontamination, VOCs and HCN are known to off-gas from personal protective equipment and accumulate in the air.5
Volatile organic compounds in firehouse air also result from cooking. An air filtration company advertises that people are exposed to more airborne particulate matter cooking an egg omelette than standing at the side of a highway.6 Accordingly, firehouse stove range hoods should remove vapors through ductwork to the outside of the building. Range hoods that recirculate gases back into the kitchen are not sufficient and should be replaced.
Countless other pollutants impact firehouse air quality. Radon gas naturally releases from the ground at some locations, requiring ventilation of radioactive particles. Carcinogenic forever chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found in PPE and in firehouse dust. Construction materials and furniture will off-gas formaldehyde from paints, resins, and insulation. Air fresheners, hair sprays, and candles will also release VOCs and particulate matter.
Regulations
There is a patchwork of governmental guidance on IAQ. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does not mandate specific IAQ standards. Some states have IAQ standards, such as California, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. The EPA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provide guidance regarding humidity/mold, ventilation, construction/renovation, and chemicals/odors in the workplace.
The best guidance for air quality management in firehouses comes from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program. It mandates carbon monoxide detectors in firehouses, prohibits bringing firefighting PPE into sleeping quarters, and details steps to reduce the hazard related to the indoor operation of fire apparatus. Also important is adherence to NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, to help address off-gassing through proper cleaning.
Improving IAQ
First, natural ventilation is the most important step in improving IAQ. When apparatus enter and exit firehouses, garage doors should remain open for an extended period so exhaust can escape. Ventilation is especially important when cleaning. Vacuums are known to aerosolize dust particles, and cleaning chemicals will give off VOCs and vapors.
Second, air purifiers are extremely helpful. HEPA filters are effective at removing particulate matter. Some air filters include sensors that automatically increase speed when poor air quality is detected. Ideally, air filters should also use ultraviolet (UV) lights. UV lights neutralize biological microbes such as bacteria, viruses (including COVID-19), mold, and fungi. UV light also breaks down VOCs from the air, thereby reducing contamination.
Finally, firehouse design is the last critical step in air quality management. Many leading firehouse design architects promote “Hot Zone Design.” This design concept divides a firehouse into different zones based on the amount of contamination present. For example, a firehouse may be separated into a red zone (vehicles and gear), a green zone (living quarters), and a yellow zone (transition area), separated by self-closing doors and pressurized air. This concept embraces a similar objective and strategy to clean-cab fire apparatus.7
Further steps can also be helpful. Prohibit the use of tobacco indoors. Locate outdoor cooking grills a safe distance downwind from firehouses. Periodically clean heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning ducts. Store flammable liquids in approved cabinets. Store cleaning chemicals in well-ventilated closets. You can use certain houseplants to remove toxins from the air.
(1) Quality detectors can monitor formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon dioxide (CO2), and other gases and pollutants. (Photo by author.)
To evaluate air quality, fire departments can use their own hazmat monitoring equipment or monitors specifically designed for indoor usage (photo 1).
Poor IAQ is detrimental to the health of firefighters. Vehicle exhaust, off-gassing PPE, cooking, cleaning chemicals, and other sources combine to pollute indoor air. If not addressed, poor firehouse air quality may cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and cognitive impairment. Long-term exposure can lead to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease. Firehouse ventilation is key to improving air quality, along with air filtration, sound policies, and modernized station layout. Improving air quality will also improve productivity and quality of life while simultaneously decreasing absences and workers’ compensation claims.
Endnotes
1. Sweeney, C. (2021, November 5). Office air quality may affect employees’ cognition, productivity. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://bit.ly/3Vm7VZi.
2. Archsmith, James, Anthony Heyes, and Soodeh Saberian. (2018). Air quality and error quantity: Pollution and performance in a high-skilled, quality-focused occupation. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists 5 (4): 827–63.
3. Shou, Y, Huang, Y, Zhu, X, Liu, C, Hu, Y, and Wang, H. (2019). A review of the possible associations between ambient PM2.5 exposures and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 174, 344–352. https://bit.ly/3MnwhxH.
4. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). What are the trends in indoor air quality and their effects on human health? Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://bit.ly/2p4IyO0.
5. Fent, KW, Evans, DE, Booher, D, Pleil, JD, Stiegel, M A, Horn, GP, and Dalton, J. (2015). Volatile Organic Compounds Off-gassing from Firefighters’ Personal Protective Equipment Ensembles after Use. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 12(6), 404–414. https://bit.ly/3TgIiHp.
6. Zehnder Group UK (n.d.). Cooking an omelette releases more harmful dust than exhaust fumes, study reveals. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://bit.ly/3yyGrWK.
7. Erickson, Paul. “Firehouse Zones, Part 1.” Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, 31 Aug. 2020, https://bit.ly/3S1vrbq.
BRIAN CRIMMINS is chief of the Hoboken (NJ) Fire Department. He has a BA from Boston College and an MPA from John Jay College. He serves on the Health and Safety Committee of the NJ Career Fire Chiefs Association.
