By Michael Bartlett on February 06th, 2026 in PFAS/AFFF
For decades, military and civilian firefighters stationed at Cannon AFB used aqueous film-forming foam containing PFAS for training exercises and emergency responses. Recent state testing confirms that PFAS from these activities made their way into groundwater and the blood of people living and working on/near the base.
PFAS chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS have been detected in groundwater near Cannon AFB at concentrations of 26,200 parts per trillion, over 650,000% higher than standard advisory levels, according to recent state testing data. Government site reports document PFAS releases into soil and the Ogallala Aquifer, resulting in a contamination plume that extends at least 2½ miles southeast of the base.
During Fall 2024, the New Mexico Environment Department and New Mexico Department of Health ran the New Mexico PFAS Blood Testing Project for adult residents and workers near Cannon AFB. The project gathered and tested blood samples from 628 people who lived or worked close to the PFAS contamination plume that spread from the base.
Results revealed that 99.7% of people tested had detectable amounts of one or more PFAS chemicals in their blood, with PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA being the most frequently found. Those living or working nearer the known PFAS groundwater plume were about three times more likely to have elevated PFAS blood levels compared with others in the broader tested group, indicating a likely link to the contamination source from the base.
About 26% of participants had PFAS concentrations in their blood that were in the highest concentration tier used in national guidelines, approximately 10 times higher than typical levels. These findings demonstrate that PFAS exposure at Cannon AFB is not theoretical but measurable and significant.
Cannon AFB has at least two fire stations identified in public records. Fire Station 1 on the flightline handles aircraft rescue and firefighting duties. Fire Station 2 in the North Housing area focuses on structural firefighting and community response. Both military and civilian firefighters working at these locations were directly exposed to PFAS through using AFFF.
Military installations have identified AFFF as a primary source of PFAS getting into soil and groundwater. Firefighters relied on this foam extensively for training exercises, aircraft fire drills, fuel fire simulations, and actual emergency fire responses on base. Each time they used it, PFAS chemicals were released into the environment while firefighters got exposed through skin contact and inhalation.
The pollution wasn't contained to training areas. PFAS spread through the soil into the Ogallala Aquifer, an important regional water source. Contamination impacted private groundwater wells in off-base areas, with evidence that farms and dairies suffered consequences. One nearby dairy had to put down thousands of cows because of PFAS found in milk, showing just how extensive the environmental damage from decades of AFFF use really was.
PFAS get called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down easily, whether in the environment or the human body, building up over time. Health departments have linked PFAS exposure to various health problems, including different cancers, immune system issues, high cholesterol levels, and reproductive and developmental damage.
Firefighters who worked with AFFF at Cannon AFB faced exposure over and over during months or years of service. Unlike residents whose exposure came mainly through contaminated drinking water, firefighters absorbed PFAS in multiple ways while working. The foam landed on their skin and gear during training. They inhaled airborne particles when spraying the foam. Gear and clothing retained PFAS residue that continued exposing them even when drills ended.
Cannon AFB started operating a PFAS water treatment facility in 2025, built to reduce the continued migration of PFAS contamination. The facility is functional and uses continuous monitoring to keep the pollution from spreading off base. But this cleanup tackles future contamination, not the health effects firefighters may already be experiencing after years of exposure.
The New Mexico Environment Department and Attorney General's Office sued the U.S. Department of Defense in 2019 to compel action on PFAS contamination at Cannon AFB, invoking state hazardous waste laws and federal cleanup requirements. The state's lawsuit aims to force PFAS cleanup, water treatment, and drinking water infrastructure installation, stormwater management, and payment to impacted property owners.
State legislation now classifies PFAS-containing firefighting foams as hazardous waste, empowering regulators to enforce cleanup and disposal requirements. These actions acknowledge the severity of PFAS contamination but do not provide compensation to firefighters who developed health conditions from their exposure.
Firefighters who served at Cannon Air Force Base and used AFFF during their service may qualify for compensation if they developed certain medical conditions linked to PFAS exposure. These include kidney cancer, testicular cancer, bladder cancer, liver cancer, thyroid cancer, ulcerative colitis, and thyroid disease.
ELG Law has been representing people exposed to toxic chemicals for more than 35 years. If you were a firefighter at Cannon AFB and got diagnosed with any of the conditions mentioned above, reach out to us for a free case review. We'll look at your service records and medical documents to figure out if you qualify for an AFFF claim.