The biggest threat to firefighters isn’t battling a raging wildfire. It’s cancer caused by harmful carcinogens that are absorbed into their skin during a blaze. That’s why Jake Sherman created Rescue Wipes, a company that manufactures specialized wipes designed to remove the dangerous toxins for firefighters and first responders. In July, Chino-based Diamond Wipes Inc. acquired the Calabasas company for an undisclosed amount. Sherman founded the company while he was still a college student at University of Arizona in 2015. After graduation, he moved back to Calabasas where he and his family began growing the business. Sherman became aware of the problem through his parents, worker’s compensation attorneys who have represented firefighters in Los Angeles County. “Together, we wanted to make a difference since we’ve seen tragedy firsthand,” Sherman told the Business Journal. A joint study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Washington, D.C. found higher rates of cancer among firefighters in than in the general population. And the International Association of Fire Fighters says cancer caused by exposure to carcinogens is now the main killer of firefighters in the U.S. Sherman said fire departments have recently begun to pay closer attention to the issue. “It’s a blessing to see the growth in the shift in the industry, with such a positive change from three years ago to where we are today,” he said. “The majority of the fire industry is taking those large strides to do everything available to protect themselves.” More than 700 fire departments worldwide have used Rescue Wipes. Sherman said the product is lab-tested and proven effective at removing hazardous compounds. “We wanted something that was stronger and more absorbent than baby wipes,” he said. “This is everything that a baby wipe is not.” Now that Sherman has sold his company, the product will join Diamond Wipes’ portfolio of decontaminating wipes. Rescue Wipes will move its manufacturing operations to Diamond Wipes headquarters in Chino. Sherman will join Diamond Wipes as sales manager of the company’s government sector. “The acquisition of Rescue Wipes is an exciting development for our growing portfolio of products for first responders,” Eve Yen, chief executive of Diamond Wipes, said in a statement. “We see a real opportunity to intensify the level of education and awareness about how truly effective on-scene decon is in fighting exposure to cancer-causing toxins.”
