Small-town fire chiefs: Foam exposure, health risks, and legal claims

There are over a million firefighters in the United States, and more than 60 percent of them are volunteer firefighters. Many of these volunteer firefighters are in different rural and small-town communities in the country. In these rural or suburban departments, a fire chief often has to take on a more hands-on approach in directing the fire department operations and training their people, especially when departments face staffing shortages. As a firefighter, a track record of over two decades shows honorable service and dedication, but it also means cumulative exposure to different toxic chemicals on duty, including the cancer-causing fluorine-based chemicals in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF).

Small-town fire chief responsibilities that may add up to cumulative AFFF exposure

AFFF was developed in the 1960s, and its widespread use started in the 1970s for both military and civilian fire departments. This foam was extremely useful for putting out Class B fires, or liquid fires that ignited from fuel, oil, petroleum, and other flammable liquids. Additionally, many firefighters, including fire chiefs, were unaware of the toxic effects of the seemingly harmless foam when it was first released. A fire chief, especially a small-town fire chief with hands-on duties, may encounter AFFF through the following duties:

• Emergency response to liquid fire using AFFF fire extinguishers or installed AFFF-based fire suppression systems
• Live fire training involving Class B fires, including periodical refresher training, or serving as an instructor for the regular training of firefighters
• Inspection and maintenance of equipment, including the investigation of AFFF leaks and spills caused by the storage and transport of AFFF
• Participating in the testing of new Class B foams, including new variations of fluorine-based chemicals that are marketed as "safer"

Health risks of AFFF exposure: which conditions qualify for AFFF claims?

Over a million firefighters are facing health risks due to the toxic chemicals encountered in their line of work. Even if you served as a fire chief in any of the smaller fire departments or in small-town volunteer departments, you may still qualify for an AFFF claim if you have documented exposure and if you have been diagnosed with any of the following cancer associated with AFFF:

• Kidney cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Liver cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Male breast cancer
• Thyroid cancer

Legal option for small-town fire chiefs: filing AFFF cancer claims

After spending decades in firefighting, it is difficult to face another battle against cancer that was caused by toxic chemicals in AFFF. ELG Law assists victims of toxic exposure in their fight for just compensation to recover the expenses and damages caused by AFFF-related cancer. If you have been diagnosed with any of the cancers mentioned above, you may contact us to get an evaluation of your AFFF claim eligibility as a fire chief. This evaluation comes at no cost, and you will not pay any fee until we have recovered AFFF compensation for you.