Last year, the Concord Fire Department became the first in the country to secure funding for PFAS-free firefighting gear for its members, but a halt in production means the department still awaits the gear’s arrival.

The manufacturer, a Pittsfield-based company, found issues with the new turnout gear and stopped production in search of a fix, according to Fire Chief John Chisholm. The city set aside just over $300,000 last year to purchase 92 sets of the newly developed suits. At the time, Concord was the first city in the nation to have secured an order.

For now, though, “we’re on stand-by until they get it up to their performance standards,” Chisholm said.

Firefighters in Concord have two sets of gear; the second is backup used only while the primary set is being laundered. To avoid buying more of the old gear — which relied on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, as a chemical shield against vapor burns — the department is working on ways for secondary sets to be shared, Chisholm noted.

“We are very much trying to avoid doing that,” he said of buying more gear that includes PFAS. It’s not clear when the new gear will be ready.

Meanwhile, Manchester’s fire department was set to receive its first delivery of PFAS-free gear on Thursday, according to Captain Brad Hood: twenty-six sets, two for each of 13 new recruits.

The department has beta-tested the suits and was pleased with its performance, Hood said. PFAS, while posing potential health risks, plays a role in both the protective quality and the durability of the gear. Ensuring alternatives meet safety and wearability standards is key, he said.

Manchester is working with a different manufacturer and has opted to transition to the new type of gear slowly over time following the planned replacement schedule for the gear, which typically has a lifespan of about a decade. Concord has planned a department-wide purchase.

PFAS, dubbed “forever chemicals” because of their inability to break down in the environment, are synthetic compounds often used in food products and clothing coatings to block heat, water, grease and stains. In concentrated levels, exposure to PFAS can mean an increased risk of cancer and other health problems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Catherine McLaughlin can be reached at cmclaughlin@cmonitor.com. You can subscribe to her Concord newsletter The City Beat at concordmonitor.com.