BWC Awards $370,000 to Protect Firefighters From Toxins

Thirty-seven fire departments will receive grant funding from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation as part of a program to protect firefighters from carcinogens and other harmful substances encountered while fighting fires. The total amount of the grant awards is $369,678. The fire departments are receiving the funding under BWC's Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant Program. The program helps departments buy safety gear, exhaust systems and specialized washing machines. Because residue collected on firefighters' gear during a blaze can cause respiratory disea...