MSNBC reported today that that the CDC blocked an investigation into the deaths of six firefighters whose personal safety equipment failed, and that the Centers failed to take action until nine additional firefighters died under similar circumstances.

The text of the letter is as follows:

February 5, 2007

The Honorable Daniel Levinson

Inspector General

Department of Health and Human Services

Room 5541 Cohen Building

330 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20201

Dear Inspector General Levinson:

I write regarding an investigative report airing tonight on MSNBC that accuses officials with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of blocking an investigation into the deaths of six firefighters whose personal safety equipment failed between 1998 and 2000 and failing to take action until nine more firefighters died under similar circumstances. These allegations are deeply troubling and should be followed up immediately with a federal investigation.

The MSNBC report cites fifteen fatalities between 1998 and 2005 in which the firefighter's Personal Alert Notification System (PASS) devices, which sound a high-pitched alarm when a firefighter remains stationary too long, failed or did not work properly. Specifically, the report quotes the CDC's former chief fire investigator, Eric Schmidt, as saying that CDC officials told him to "minimize [your] fact gathering during investigations" and that he was instructed to "omit critical facts" regarding the performance of the PASS devices. According to MSNBC, the CDC was indifferent to Mr. Schmidt's evidence and did not want him to differ with its final reports on the fatalities.

The CDC fired Mr. Schmidt in 2000 for "marginal" performance in his investigative duties despite evidence he gathered that suggested a link between faulty PASS devices and these tragic deaths. Subsequent testing of these devices by an independent laboratory showed that they do not work properly in several conditions common in firefighting.

The allegations made by MSNBC are disturbing and warrant an exhaustive federal review. We owe it to the families of the deceased firefighters as well as the nearly 1 million firefighters who still use PASS devices to get answers and hold the negligent parties to account. Therefore, I request that you initiate an investigation into the CDC's handling of its investigations and determine the veracity of these allegations.

Sincerely,

John Kerry