Orlando Firefighters Exposed to Asbestos Were Not Warned

More than a dozen Orlando firefighters were exposed to asbestos earlier this month because their supervisors failed to warn them of the known dangers. The families of many of those firefighters worry secondhand exposure to the deadly mineral could place them at risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. “It’s everywhere, you know?” said Andrea Donohoe, wife of one of the Orlando Fire Department firefighters exposed to asbestos. “Our baby is riding in his car. I was riding in his car. We’re all now exposed to asbestos.” Her husband, Anthony Donohoe, and more than a dozen other firefighters were exposed to the carcinogen while removing flooring from an abandoned apartment building the fire department had planned to use for training. “We were scraping on our hands and knees,” Donohoe told WFTV-Channel 9. "I know you're supposed to wear suits and respirators, and we didn't have any of that. We were out there in plain clothes." Federal law states that only trained and licensed professionals can remove asbestos in a building and dispose of it properly. Firefighters are generally not licensed to remove asbestos. Floor tiles and other asbestos-containing building materials pose no harm if left alone. But if these items are disturbed, they release microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. When inhaled, the needle-like fibers become lodged in the tissue surrounding the lungs, leading to the development of tumors decades later. ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure & Bans Source Type: news