Paul Cotter spent decades living the typical firefighter routine. When the alarm sounded, he’d step into his turnout gear – the specialized boots, pants, topcoat and helmet that’s worn to protect first responders from extreme heat and moisture – and be on the truck within seconds.
He looked at the uniform he wore day in and day out for years almost like a set of armor.
“It’s almost bulletproof,” he said.
But after a cancer diagnosis, his wife, Diane, began to suspect the turnout gear he’d long been wearing may have played a role in his illness. Her instincts and advocacy led to groundbreaking research about the protective gear worn by firefighters – and a decade-plus fight to raise awareness about the toxic threads used to make it that contain chemicals linked to cancer.