Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Raw Story: 'Research is basically halted': Report claims first responder safety cut by Trump admin
Raw Story - 'Research is basically halted': Report claims first responder safety cut by Trump admin
Krystina Alarcon Carroll
April 25, 2025 11:23AM ET
Safety for first responders is paramount at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Which is why its employees, and the first responders who rely on their research and data, are shocked by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s cuts, according to a new POLITICO report.
“[The research has] all been put on pause,” Hannah Echt, a union steward at NIOSH, told the outlet. “We haven’t been able to travel since the end of January, and now… there’s no one to do the traveling.”
Echt was a part of a 10-person team who were helping Iowa firefighters limit their exposure to fumes from idling vehicles.
Another NIOSH researcher said their team had been looking at PFAS (aka forever chemicals) in firefighters' gear. They were also investigating how quickly firefighting equipment degrades and how to certify the commercial service providers that launder firefighting gear.
“All of that research is basically halted,” the person told POLITICO with the promise of anonymity. “We also had a nationwide exposure assessment study, and the analysis was actually complete; the data is sitting there.”
/snip
Krystina Alarcon Carroll
April 25, 2025 11:23AM ET
Safety for first responders is paramount at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Which is why its employees, and the first responders who rely on their research and data, are shocked by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s cuts, according to a new POLITICO report.
“[The research has] all been put on pause,” Hannah Echt, a union steward at NIOSH, told the outlet. “We haven’t been able to travel since the end of January, and now… there’s no one to do the traveling.”
Echt was a part of a 10-person team who were helping Iowa firefighters limit their exposure to fumes from idling vehicles.
Another NIOSH researcher said their team had been looking at PFAS (aka forever chemicals) in firefighters' gear. They were also investigating how quickly firefighting equipment degrades and how to certify the commercial service providers that launder firefighting gear.
“All of that research is basically halted,” the person told POLITICO with the promise of anonymity. “We also had a nationwide exposure assessment study, and the analysis was actually complete; the data is sitting there.”
/snip