Los Angeles fires modified blood proteins in firefighters, research reveals

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — New analysis is confirming Southern California firefighters are placing their well being on the road as they battle to guard lives and save properties.

Not only for hours, however for days, frontline firefighters have been inhaling thick, darkish smoke throughout January’s fires in Los Angles – a massively heroic job, with a doubtlessly enormous influence to their well being.

“We know that there were some changes within the bodies of the firefighters based on this exposure,” mentioned Dr. Jeff Burgess, a University of Arizona professor and director of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study.

He had blood samples from 42 firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department, Oxnard Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority from earlier than the fires.

Burgess examined their blood once more a couple of week after the fires and his group discovered adjustments in a bunch of blood proteins which influence the physique’s immune system and might result in irritation.

“I am always concerned when we find something that could pose an increased risk to firefighters,” Burgess informed 7 On Your Side Investigates.

Burgess is now making use of for funding so he can take a look at these similar firefighters once more – a yr after the L.A. fires – to see if the protein adjustments are nonetheless of their blood. If they’re, it means they might be at larger threat of most cancers.

“It doesn’t mean that these firefighters are going to get cancer, it means that they could potentially have a higher risk for that after these exposures,” Burgess mentioned.

Another query is: What does it imply for the remainder of us who have been additionally inhaling that smoke?

Burgess says it isn’t good for our well being to breathe that in, however he says frontline firefighters breathe in considerably extra smoke, so the well being threat is way larger to them.