Firefighters sue over protective gear, alleging it made them sick: "I just couldn't stay on the job"
CBSN
There is concern among firefighters nationwide about a potential on-the-job hazard they say they face. Cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters — and there's a fresh theory about why.
Many in the firefighting community believe that toxins are not only present in the fires they fight, but also in their turnout gear. Dozens of firefighters filed lawsuits this week alleging that the gear they wear — designed to protect them from fires — is making them sick.
The lawsuits claim the chemicals used to make their gear resistant to flames, water and oil carry a hidden danger that can cause devastating illness.
Days off do not exist for Katie Ledecky. "I swim nine to ten times a week, for two hours at a time," she said. By her own estimate, Ledecky swims up to 70,000 meters – roughly 43 miles – each week, as she gears up for the Paris Olympics next month. And if that isn't enough, after hitting the pool, she hits the weights.
With foothills rising above, Boise, Idaho is a place of beauty. But it's the city's less scenic quarters, dead ends and back alleys that were Robert Martin's home, on and off, for 15 years. On nights when Boise's homeless shelters were full, Martin got sleep wherever he could. "There were times I've slept in garage stairwells, on cement, slept in rock, up under overpasses in the rocks and dirt," he said.