The union’s lawsuit alleges a third-party test found oil and particulates in the air used to fill SCBA cylinders, and that the city of Huntsville withheld records about it

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The city of Huntsville has denied grievances filed by more than 80 Huntsville Fire & Rescue employees over concerns about oil contamination in breathing equipment used by firefighters.

The union, Professional Fire Fighters of Alabama, is also suing the city, alleging it illegally withheld public records about contaminated breathing air that sickened more than 50 firefighters, WAFF reported.

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More than 80 department employees filed grievances over Huntsville Fire & Rescue’s handling of contaminated SCBA cylinders, the International Association of Fire Fighters told WHNT.

The IAFF said the equipment, which supplies clean breathing air while firefighters search buildings and rescue people, is critical not only to firefighter health, but to public safety. The association said many employees became sick during and after an Aug. 3-7, 2026, fitness test in which the department used SCBAs, reporting coughing, throat irritation, chest discomfort and other respiratory issues.

According to the lawsuit, a June 15 air quality test on a cascade trailer used to fill SCBA cylinders failed due to high levels of oil and particulate, according to a third-party tester.

The trailer was removed from service June 24 after an air line ruptured and returned to service July 2. A retest conducted June 30 came back passing on July 8. On Aug. 7-8, the department had SCBA cylinders on frontline apparatus refilled using systems at Stations 6 and 8. The suit claims the air used was not tested.

The lawsuit also alleges some cascade storage cylinders had not been hydrostatically tested since 2013, despite a federal requirement to test every five years. After testing on Oct. 5, cylinders at Station 6 were pulled for excessive internal rust, while rusted cylinders at Station 8 were returned to service, according to the suit.

An Oct. 2 department memo titled “PT Incentive SCBA Investigation Report” states that no specific root cause was identified.

The lawsuit asks a judge to declare that the city violated the Open Records Act, order release of the records, and award attorneys’ fees and costs. The city of Huntsville has denied the grievances, though the IAFF said the city acknowledged that multiple firefighters reported respiratory symptoms this summer.

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