It's time to put your phone where your mouth is! Legislators have only 3 days (Feb 2nd) to co-sponsor HD1670 An act relative to Parkinson's Disease disability and Death in Firefighters. This not a call to vote yet but that will certainly be welcome and is our ultimate goal. This is just a step toward getting as much support from as many legislators as we can to stand behind the Bill from the start. We have nine already but the more the better. Rep Velis and Sen. Humason are among the ones already on board. Go to malegislature.gov and look up numbers and emails. Phone calls are more effective. Below is some information to prepare with. Start by asking if they will co-sponsor HD1670 An act relative to Parkinson's Disease disability and Death in Firefighters. Thank you all for your help and support! Firefighters are exposed to dangerous toxins like: Cyanide, low level to high level Carbon Monoxide, N-Hexane, Toluene, and many others. Firefighters are at risk for neurodegenerative diseases from occupational exposures to Psychological stress, toxic industrial and agricultural chemicals, chemical threat agents, head injury, and even radiofrequency radiation. Parkinson’s Disease (PD), as a particularly relevant disorder induced by a variety of environmental exposures, is a central focus of this legislation. Fire Fighters are regularly exposed to burning chemicals and other toxins. There are 70,000 toxic substances on file with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States. In reality, when these substances burn together, there are 70 million possible combinations that are created in a fire. Routinely, exposures to these burning and non-burning toxins occur during the “Overhaul” phase of a fire or Hazardous Materials Incident. Parkinson’s Disease normally develops very slowly. Research has shown, however, toxicity is the probable cause when the Parkinson’s symptoms develop rapidly after a probable chemical – toxin exposure. A study conducted by the Neurotoxin Institute indicated that Parkinson's Disease was significantly more common in fire fighters than in the general population. This was demonstrated by a finding of 3-4 cases per 1,000 in the general population compared to 30 Parkinson's cases per 1,000 firefighters. Minerbo GM, Jankovic J. Prevalence of Parkinson's disease among firefighters. Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the AAN, Miami, 5/4/90, Neurology (Suppl. 1) 1990;40:348. It is fact that even with the best respiratory practices and protective equipment the exposures will continue to occur due to absorption through the skin once a fire fighter’s protective gear has become saturated during fire suppression activities. Furthermore, the concentration of chemicals in today’s normal building contents is much higher than in the past due to the increased use of composite materials. In the 70’s materials burnt at 800 BTUs and now in 2009 they burn at 8000 BTUs due to new developments in composite materials and toxins they release. In a study by the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute (SNTRI), scientists identified fiberglass-based materials as producing some of the highest levels of cyanide in fire smoke. Use of fiberglass insulation in American building construction is much higher today than 30 years ago. Many fire departments’ tactical overhaul and extinguishing operations have not been updated to address these and other changes that make smoke increasingly dangerous. Fire departments are continually looking for and deploying technologies to improve firefighter performance and safety including the use of a personal protective equipment and enhanced “on-scene” management practices. Fire departments have been paying considerable attention over the last 30 years to the immediate and long-term impacts of firefighting to health and welfare of firefighters. The evidence continues to point to exposures of firefighters on emergency incidents as a prime cause of early death, chronic illness and increased incidence of health problems such as heart/lung and neurological disease. Firefighters are routinely exposed to smoke, combustion byproducts, and hazardous materials on the fire ground and other emergency scenes. Many of these compounds are known to be carcinogenic or to cause damage to vascular and neural tissues. Accordingly, firefighters are at great risk for the development of various cancers, heart (or vascular), and neurologic disease. Two primary toxins, carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) have been identified as being of particular concern on the fire ground. Both acute and chronic exposures to these compounds are potentially hazardous or fatal. Fire Fighters are regularly exposed to burning chemicals and other toxins. There are 70,000 toxic substances on file with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States. In reality, when these substances burn together, there are 70 million possible combinations that are created in a fire. Fire Fighters routinely endure exposure to these burning toxins in the course of protecting the lives and property of their fellow citizens. It is fact that even with the best respiratory practices and protective equipment the exposures will continue to occur due to absorption through the skin once a fire fighter’s protective gear has become saturated during fire suppression activities. Furthermore, the concentration of chemicals in today’s normal building contents is much higher than in the past due to the increased use of composite materials. A study by the Neurotoxin Institute revealed an increased rate of disease in the Fire Fighter population versus the general population. The study of fire fighters indicated that Parkinsonism was significantly more common in fire fighters than in the general population. This was demonstrated by a finding of 3-4 cases per 1,000 in the general population compared to 30 Parkinson's cases per 1,000 firefighters. Minerbo GM, Jankovic J. Prevalence of Parkinson's disease among firefighters. Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the AAN, Miami, 5/4/90, Neurology (Suppl. 1) 1990;40:348. Governor Mitch Daniels signed SB 376 on May 1, 2009 to enact Parkinson’s Disease to the Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ presumptive law in Indiana. The bill allows emergency responders afflicted with Parkinson's Disease to become eligible for expanded disability benefits is now become law, thanks to the efforts of State Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan (D–Indianapolis) and State Senator James Merritt (R-Indianapolis). By a vote of 49-0 in the Senate and a vote of 97–2 in the House Senate Bill (SB) 376 passed, a measure championed by Sullivan and Merritt that will require Parkinson's disease to be treated as a line-of-duty disability under an emergency responder's pension and disability plan. Emergency responders who are disabled in the line of duty are entitled to greater benefits than those who incur other types of disabilities. Recent studies have shown that toxic fumes, like those inhaled by emergency responders at the site of a burning building, can increase the risk of Parkinson's disease. Sullivan and Merritt said that these studies necessitated the need for the legislation. "If our community's firefighters, police officers and paramedics put themselves at risk of Parkinson's disease by combating a fire or attending to another dangerous emergency, they should be entitled to the highest level of disability benefits," Sullivan said. “We had compelling testimony from Medically Pensioned (line-of-duty) Firefighter Gary Coons in the committee hearing for Pension and Labor that illustrated what our heroes face every day as they serve us. There is a website up that provides valuable information and has hits and discussion from around the world,” Merritt said. The bill was brought to Sullivan's and Merritt’s attention by Indiana firefighter Gary Coons, who was stricken with Parkinson's at age 33. On average, a person doesn't contract Parkinson's until their late fifties. Sullivan and Merritt both explained that toxic exposure from burning chemicals is one of the unusual circumstances that can cause early onset Parkinson's. Gary realizes that his Parkinson's disease is not a death sentence, but a life sentence and that he must stay active and wants the bell to ring for the next round. Gary exemplifies the fact that he does not look towards lightening his load, but broadening his shoulders. As a result, he and his wife developed a website www.firefighterswithparkinsons.org and a foundation to provide a powerful imperative to get information out about the risk of occupational exposures for firefighters.