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PFOMS Project Key Findings and Results

PFOMS Project Key Findings and Results

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The project team thanks the Michigan fire departments and firefighters who generously shared their time, information and blood samples for the PFAS in Firefighters of Michigan Surveillance (PFOMS) project. The summaries shared in this report and the knowledge gained about PFAS exposure would not be possible without the generosity of the participants, support of our stakeholders, dedication of the project staff and funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of Michigan.

Findings Shared from the PFOMS Project Report

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released the findings of the PFOMS project in May 2026. The findings of the PFOMS project and methodology are detailed in the PFOMS Project Report and its supporting materials below.

Thumbnail image of the PFOMS project report

View and download a copy of the PFOMS project report

 
Thumbnail image of the PFOMS project brief

View and download a copy of the PFOMS project brief

Key findings from the PFOMS project

  • All PFOMS firefighters had some amount of PFAS in their blood. Most people in the United States also have some PFAS in their blood.
  • All PFOMS firefighters had two types of PFAS in their blood: PFOA and PFOS.
  • Thirteen types of PFAS were found in more than 60% of PFOMS firefighters.
  • PFOMS firefighters had lower amounts of some PFAS than the average person in the United States.
  • PFOMS firefighters typically had lower amounts of PFAS than the averages from other firefighter studies.
  • Some PFOMS firefighters had higher amounts of some PFAS than the maximum amounts found in other firefighter studies.
  • PFOMS firefighters who work at airports had higher amounts of eight out of thirteen PFAS compared to firefighters who do not work at airports. This means exposure to PFAS is likely different between airport firefighters and non-airport firefighters.
  • PFAS were not typically found in fire station drinking water.
Fire fighting gear
Fire station

If you are a PFOMS participant with questions about your results, please reach out to MDHHS staff:

Thumbnail image of the PFOMS project report

What is included in the PFOMS Project Report?

The PFOMS Project Report details the findings of the PFOMS project, showing:

  • How often and at what concentrations 39 types of PFAS were found in the blood of PFOMS participants.
    • These values were then compared to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) results and other firefighter studies where available.
  • How often PFAS was found in fire station drinking water.

MDHHS is committed to protecting personal information; all personal information provided by participants is confidential and will be kept private under the fullest extent of the law.

Additional Resources

In addition to the PFOMS Project Report, MDHHS has developed additional resources to help understand the findings of the PFOMS project. These include:

  • A recorded webinar, with the PFOMS project team presenting the findings of the PFOMS project in a virtual presentation.
  • PFOMS project resources, such as fact sheets about how to talk to your healthcare provider about exposure to PFAS and how to read your PFAS blood test results.
  • PFAS-related resources for firefighters, such as information about PFAS in drinking water, information about PFAS and foam and a fact sheet on how to cope with stress from environmental contamination.

What is PFOMS planning next?

The MDHHS is continuing to analyze the data collected as part of the PFOMS project. These results are expected to be submitted for publication and will be available on our website.