Politico: ‘Climate damage hits LA firefighters’ lungs’ – ‘Yet another example of the spreading havoc

[rangerrebew]

Politico: ‘Climate damage hits LA firefighters’ lungs’ – ‘Yet another example of the spreading havoc from climate change’ – Will doctors now diagnose ‘climate lung?!’
By Marc Morano
January 13, 2025
7:11 pm

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2025/01/13/climate-damage-hits-la-firefighters-lungs-00197893

Climate damage hits LA firefighters’ lungs
By ARIANNA SKIBELL

Firefighters are risking not just their lives but also their health to beat back the unprecedented blazes engulfing the Los Angeles region — in yet another example of the spreading havoc from climate change.

Urban wildfires release a host of chemicals into the air — from copper to lead — and protective gear falls woefully short, writes Ariel Wittenberg. The situation underscores just how unprepared cities are for the changing nature of wildfires as humans continue to encroach on nature and as a warming planet dries out vegetation, turning it into dangerous kindling.

“All these chemicals we don’t think of occurring in a wildland fire are now part of the smoke,” said Mary Johnson, principal research assistant at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “The list is really long, and it’s really not good.”

https://www.climatedepot.com/2025/01/13/politico-climate-damage-hits-la-firefighters-lungs-will-doctors-now-diagnose-climate-lung/

[rangerrebew]

So, when smoke previously damaged the lungs of fire fighters, it wasn't global warming.  But I thought they had oxygen tanks to use to prevent whatever it used to be that damaged their lungs.  From what I've seen, the LA area probably doesn't have enough oxygen tanks for all the people working the fires so maybe there is confusion and politicians say global warming when they should say unprepared.

[Smokin Joe]

So, when smoke previously damaged the lungs of fire fighters, it wasn't global warming.  But I thought they had oxygen tanks to use to prevent whatever it used to be that damaged their lungs.  From what I've seen, the LA area probably doesn't have enough oxygen tanks for all the people working the fires so maybe there is confusion and politicians say global warming when they should say unprepared.

Well, they are air tanks, not oxygen. The last thing you would want is to be in a working fire with a tank of oxygen on your back.

Even the most fit firefighters can only get about 20 minutes out of one "30 minute" tank, because of the physical effort required fighting the fire (my personal best was 17 minutes).  We used them in house and structural fires, and when confronting fires which produced combustion byproducts that made a truly unbreathable atmosphere (or leaking chemicals from a wrecked truck).
Imagine changing those out three times an hour...and trying to fight a wildfire, too.

It's no secret that some nasty stuff gets released in wildfire smoke, and that includes the combustion byproducts of literally anything that has been dumped out there in the weeds. It goes with the territory, and firefighters are aware of the risks when they take the job.