Diane Cotter

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Worcester joins federal lawsuit over PFAS in firefighting gear @cityofworcester @worcesterfd @worcestertelegram @bpetridish @hagens_berman #SGTLaw WORCESTER – The City of Worcester has joined a federal lawsuit in Montana that seeks to recoup the cost of replacing turnout gear that was for years loaded with the dangerous “forever” chemicals known as PFAS. Federal court records show the city on Monday, May 5, was named a new plaintiff in an amended lawsuit that seeks to recover millions for cities and towns in all 50 states. Worcester – Key Points: The suit seeks to provide two sets of PFAS-free replacement gear for every firefighter in the country. Worcester employed a cancer-stricken firefighter whose wife commissioned a landmark study of PFAS in turnout gear. Lawyers in the Montana lawsuit argue the companies that profited from selling PFAS-laden gear should have to pay to recoup costs for municipalities now being required to purchase replacements. “The idea that the people who sold the contaminated gear are going to profit off their wrongdoing is outrageous,” Jennifer Sclar, a partner at Silver Golub & Teitell LLP, a Connecticut law firm pursuing the case, recently told the Telegram & Gazette. Sclar’s firm is one of several that are collaborating on the Montana lawsuit, which now includes cities in towns in a dozen states. /story/news/local/worcester/2026/05/06/worcester-joins-federal-lawsuit-pfas/89960248007/

Special Counsel requests sent. Justice delayed IS justice denied. May we receive justice in 2026. Products of Deception

New York’s Bravest would no longer be forced to use firefighting gear and other protective equipment containing a cancer-causing chemical under new legislation being considered by the City Council. The four-bill package, introduced this week by Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola (R-Queens), would require the FDNY by 2028 to phase out and find alternatives to firefighting protective clothing and other equipment containing PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that have been used since the 1970s to provide heat and water resistance. “This is about protecting our protectors,” said Ariola, who chairs the Fire and Emergency Management Committee that will host a hearing on the bills Monday.

Email to members of the International Association of Fire Fighters on dismissal of IAFF vs NFPA.

🚨 🚨 MDL 2873 PFAS Personal Injury - BELLWETHERS POSPONED ‼️‼️ As reflected in the Court’s Order dated July 15, 2025 (Dkt. No. 7518), the Court has become aware of a large number of unfiled cases, many of which the Court understands allege one or more of the six injuries (hereinafter, the “Listed Claims”)1 that the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee (“PEC”) has determined to pursue in this MDL. The existence of these unfiled claims, many of which may not be vetted, creates challenges for the Court’s continued efficient management of this MDL docket. The Court also must ensure that filed cases are appropriately vetted through the processes set forth in this CMO. For these reasons, the Bellwether trial scheduled for October 20, 2025, and all related dates in CMO 26-I, are vacated until such a time as the Court deems appropriate. Given the complexity of this MDL, the Court has established the requirements of this Order for the purpose of ensuring that cases are filed and properly vetted to aid in the ongoing management of this MDL. Court Order 8.15.2025 https://www.scd.uscourts.gov/mdl-2873/orders/CMO%2035%20ECF%207823.pdf?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMTGo9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHq8b1H4A1wc5I_X7R_tw2ikx6qHDSeNPjb-0IrNtf6LcU9JJ5warJy-HpK12_aem_t6pU1Ts_AQWZjtpE7OUjng

� Firefighter whistleblower Diane Cotter urges Trump admin to probe “one of the largest intentional occupational poisonings” in history. She alleges carcinogenic PFAS chemicals in firefighter gear, linked to high cancer rates, were ignored by industry & union leaders. @XNews Cotter, whose husband battled cancer, demands accountability from @POTUS , AG @PamBondi , & HHS Sec. @RobertKennedyJr . She’s submitted evidence to FBI & @TheJusticeDept , criticizing ties between gear manufacturers & ex-IAFF head Harold Schaitberger. Read more: dallasexpress.com/national/firef…

Wifey approved. �

new-research-uncovers-gene-impacts-pfas-exposure-firefighters

The response to the request for an Executive Order to investigate the intentional occupational poisoning of America’s Bravest has been met with… no response. No worries. I got this. My memoir ‘Products of Deception’ will be the congressional report you were never granted. Follow my social and website for announcements 🔥 💕wifey

Firefighter’s Wife Presses Trump Admin To Investigate Toxic Gear Scandal KELLEN MCGOVERN JONES - SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER NATIONAL JUL 4, 2025 @dallasexpressnews @kellenmcgovernjones A fire safety whistleblower is urging the Trump administration to investigate what she calls “one of the largest intentional occupational poisonings known to mankind.” Diane Cotter, whose husband was diagnosed with cancer after decades in the fire service, told The Dallas Express, “I worry this administration is unwilling to investigate,” as she renewed calls for federal scrutiny of the multibillion-dollar firefighter gear industry. Cotter said she submitted documentation to the FBI, Department of Justice, and the new administration under President Trump earlier this year. “When you are a whistleblower and you give over very sensitive information, there is no chain of command… There is no recordkeeping for the whistleblower,” Cotter said, referring to the binder of materials she mailed to top federal officials earlier this year. She is calling on President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and others to launch a formal investigation into industry and union leaders who she claims allowed the widespread use of carcinogenic PFAS chemicals in required firefighter gear. “We are really owed the seat at the table,” Cotter said. “Just let us be heard.” Cotter’s campaign began after her husband, Lt. Paul Cotter of the Worcester Fire Department, was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in 2014. Since then, she has collected thousands of pages of documents and filed complaints with multiple agencies. In July, she told The Dallas Express that she is documenting her years-long struggle in a forthcoming memoir titled Products of Deception. Despite progress in state and federal bans on PFAS in firefighting gear, Cotter claims the federal government has failed to hold accountable those who promoted the use of the chemicals for years.