Congress·In Committee·S. 3183

Sen. Schiff Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Require Respiratory Protection for Wildland Firefighters

Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act of 2025

4 months ago·View on Congress.gov

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Key Points

The Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act would require the federal government to develop and mandate respiratory protective equipment for wildland firefighters and support staff when smoke exposure exceeds safe limits set by NIOSH and OSHA.
From policy text
“the Secretary, in coordination with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, the Secretary of the Interior, and other appropriate Federal agencies, shall develop a strategy to make commercially available appropriate respiratory personal protective equipment for wildland firefighters and supporting staff in settings in which smoke exposure surpasses covered permissible exposure limits”
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The bill covers a broad definition of wildland firefighters — anyone fighting wildfires under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior, including private contractors.
From policy text
“The term ``wildland firefighter'' means any person who participates in wildland firefighting activities under the direction of the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, including under a contract with the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior.”
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Within one year of the bill becoming law, the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Chief of the Forest Service, must have a strategy in place to make proper respiratory gear available to firefighters in dangerous smoke conditions.
From policy text
“not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, the Secretary of the Interior, and other appropriate Federal agencies, shall develop a strategy to make commercially available appropriate respiratory personal protective equipment”
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The bill also requires ongoing review of safety standards and incorporation of the latest NFPA 1984 standard for wildland fire-fighting respirators, ensuring protections improve over time as technology advances.
From policy text
“incorporate into the standards described in subparagraph (A)(i), by reference, the most recent edition of standard NFPA 1984, entitled ``Standard on Respirators for Wildland Fire-Fighting and Wildland Urban Interface Operations'' (and any subsequent editions), as necessary”
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The bill authorizes open-ended funding — "such sums as are necessary" — to carry out its requirements each fiscal year, meaning Congress would need to appropriate money separately.
From policy text
“There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each fiscal year.”
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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

StateScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Nov 18, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Nov 18, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

1 year after enactment

Strategy for making respiratory protective equipment available must be completed

Within one year of the bill becoming law, the Forest Service would need to have a plan to get proper breathing gear to firefighters. Actual gear distribution could follow shortly after.

1-2 years after enactment

Mandatory use of respiratory protection begins on federal wildfire operations

Firefighters and support staff would be required to wear approved respirators whenever smoke levels exceed safe limits, fundamentally changing how wildfire operations are conducted.

Related News

2 articles

HealthDay News·4 months ago

Wildland Firefighters Could Soon Get Mandatory Respiratory Protection

A new bipartisan bill, the Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act, would require the U.S. Forest Service and the Interior Department to create and enforce rules for respiratory protection. Firefighters would be required to wear approved masks whenever smoke levels exceed limits set by OSHA and NIOSH.

Daily Dispatch·4 months ago

Senators propose bill to require PPE for wildland firefighters

The bipartisan Senate bill directs federal agencies to implement mandatory respiratory protection. For decades, federal firefighters have fought fires with only 'a bandana and a prayer,' but this bill mandates approved respirators when smoke toxins reach dangerous levels.

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