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PFOMS: PFAS in Firefighters of Michigan Surveillance

Upcoming Webinars!

Webinars describing key findings and results from the PFAS in Firefighters of Michigan Surveillance (PFOMS) project will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 12 p.m. and Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 6 p.m. The webinars will be recorded. For more information, visit PFOMS: Virtual Presentations.

Click here to register for the webinar on Wednesday, June 3 at 12 p.m.

Click here to register for the webinar on Thursday, June 4 at 6 p.m.

What is PFOMS?

PFOMS (pronounced: p-foams) stands for the PFAS in Firefighters of Michigan Surveillance project. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that are oil- and water-resistant and do not break down easily in the environment. PFAS are commonly used in Class B firefighting foam and firefighting protective gear. The PFOMS project is a statewide initiative with the primary goal of determining blood concentrations of PFAS in Michigan firefighters. The findings of the PFOMS project will help inform decisions about how to minimize firefighters' exposure to PFAS.

The PFOMS project was launched in Spring 2021 and completed data collection in Fall 2023.

Firefighter Participation in PFOMS

1,023 firefighters from 64 fire departments participated in the PFOMS project.

Age icon 44.7 years was the average age.

Male gender icon 91.7% reported being male.

People icon 86.5% reported being white.

Dollar sign icon 55.6% reported being full-time paid employees.

Fire helmet icon 83.8% from non-airport fire departments.

Key findings from PFOMS are now available!

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has released the findings of the PFOMS project.

Learn more about these findings on our PFOMS Key Findings and Results page.