WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) � Firefighters wear hoods that are meant to protect them in fires, but these tools could be hurting crews long after the flames are out.

�Unfortunately, our culture was the more soot you had on you, it was almost a badge of honor,� said retired Waterbury firefighter Dan Huften.

He says his white firefighter hood would often turn black. Huften retired from the Waterbury Fire Department from a back injury and was then diagnosed with Stage 3 Colo-rectal cancer.

�I underwent chemo and radiation, followed by surgery, which resulted in a permanent colostomy followed by more chemotherapy,� said Huften.

Friday, more than 200 hoods were donated anonymously to the Waterbury Fire Department. It�s for crews to rotate them and not need to wear a dirty one.

�All those cancer-causing materials are being absorbed through the skin,� said Occupational Physician for Boston Fire Dr. Michael Hamrock. He says a National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health report released about a year ago shows these dirty hoods can lead to cancer down the road.

�There are 225 firefighters in Waterbury, and last year you had five cancers� said Hamrock. �That�s three times what you should expect for the age group.�

Now state politicians are introducing a bill which would expand long-term healthcare for firefighters.

�This is about coverage,� said Rep. Michelle Cook, who represents the 65th District. �This is about insuring that, God forbid a firefighter comes down with a cancer, they have protections,�

She says this legislation could include pre-screenings and protection for their families.

�We owe it not only to the guys currently on the job, but for the toddler who might be a firefighter down the road,� said Huften.

Other states, like Massachusetts and New York, have passed similar laws. Right now Connecticut�s bill is in its infancy. It�s being drafted and is expected to pass the Labor Committeee with bipartisan support.
By Stephanie Simoni, WTNH Reporter

								To Kolb