Pullman City Council approved a motion Tuesday night that will help reduce Pullman firefighters’ exposure to harmful carcinogens.

The motion approved the acceptance of a $15,000 grant for a Firefighter Injury and Illness Reduction program, said Ray Lamoureux, Pullman Fire Department assistant chief of support services. 

The program is funded through the Department of Labor and Industries and works to reduce the number of work-related injuries and illnesses, he said.

The grant will be used to help decrease firefighters’ exposure to carcinogens within stations, Lamoureux said.

When fire engines and other vehicles are idling in the fire station bays, they have a hose system attached to their exhausts to expel fumes safely without exposing personnel, he said. The current equipment is getting older and becoming less effective. The hoses attach with magnets, but lately, they detach as soon as vehicles start to move and expose firefighters in the bay to the fumes.

With the grant, new and improved attachment points will be installed based on a demo model the station has already used for six months. This should reduce fumes in the bay by about 90-95%, Lamoureux said.