Firefighters and Forestry Corps personnel. Both wear uniforms and fight fires, but only the former are required to wear occupational health and safety gear.
The Five Star Movement has submitted a motion in the Regional Council urging the government to "increase controls and protection for the profession" in light of "the health risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful substances present in firefighter uniforms. The goal is to strengthen health prevention through biomonitoring, the inclusion of specific checks in periodic health checks, and the recognition of firefighter work as a particularly demanding occupation."
The request was not appreciated by Safor, one of the unions representing the Sardinian Forestry Corps. Secretary Ignazio Masala expressed, " deep indignation and strong indignation" For the Five Star Movement's initiative: "A serious, legitimate, and worthy issue," he attacks. "Precisely for this reason, the umpteenth exclusion of the women and men of the Forestry Corps appears even more serious, offensive, and incomprehensible, systematically ignored whenever the safety of firefighters is addressed."
Specifically, M5S group leader Michele Ciusa warned in a statement about the dangers posed by firefighters' uniforms, which are "designed to protect against flames, smoke, and toxic substances. The materials used, such as Teflon and other PFAS, are man-made chemicals that, when used for long periods and exposed to high temperatures, can be absorbed by the body . A study published in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology highlights how PFAS can interfere with cellular defense mechanisms, making them more vulnerable to the development of tumors."
On the other hand, Masala (SAFOR) replies that Forestry Corps personnel "wear personal protective equipment for approximately six months of the year, during the hottest and most risky period in terms of climate and operations . They do so not for sporadic interventions or occasional emergencies, but for entire days of service in the field, carrying out patrolling, prevention, surveillance, and firefighting activities. Unlike other sectors, forestry personnel work continuously outdoors for eight hours or more, constantly exposed to high temperatures, thermal stress, physical fatigue, smoke, dust, and environmental risks. This is a structural and daily condition, not an episodic one."
