Using your firefighter specialization to support AFFF claims

Exposure to AFFF has been linked to specialized firefighter roles in a stronger and more conclusive manner. Evidence such as repeated exposure to AFFF or high-intensity exposure is sought by a claim reviewer or court. When you demonstrate regular handling, mixing, application, testing, or cleaning of AFFF, your causation arguments and claim value become stronger.

Why specialization strengthens your claim

In order to obtain specialized certifications, you must have completed Firefighter I as well as Firefighter II training, which means you must have worked as a firefighter for at least 2 years prior to advancing. Through this progression, you demonstrate extensive experience and a higher likelihood of repeated AFFF exposure throughout your career.

Specialized duties provide specific details about the nature and extent of your exposure. A technician's statement that he or she mixed and applied AFFF monthly for 10 years has far more impact than a vague reference to occasionally using foam. It establishes a clear causal pathway between your work and your health problems.

High-value specialized roles

In AFFF claims, certain specializations carry particularly strong evidence:

• ARFF and Airport Firefighters: On-site AFFF storage, recurrent drills, and incident response create repeated, high-dose exposure scenarios
• Foam Technicians and Crash Rescue Teams: Handling, mixing, testing, and applying foam concentrates directly creates documented exposure events.
• Live-Fire Training Instructors: Exposure to contaminated training sites and repeated training burns poses a long-term risk
• Military and Industrial Firefighters: AFFFs are commonly used in the DoD, aviation, and petrochemical industries
• Station Mechanics and Apparatus Cleaners: Workers are exposed to concentrated chemicals when they clean and maintain AFFF systems, tanks, and hoses

Critical documentation for your claim

You can create a clear exposure timeline by collecting specific records related to your specialized duties. Examples of valuable evidence include:

• Employment and Training Records: Official job descriptions and duty rosters showing your involvement in ARFF operations, foam handling, training instruction, or crash rescue work document your specialized duties. Detailed training logs with dates, locations, and records of AFFF use during exercises establish the scope and timeline of your exposure.
• Incident and Response Documentation: Response reports that detail AFFF application, including dates, times, locations, and specific foam types used, create a timeline of exposure events that align with your diagnosis. Procurement records, equipment inventories, and safety data sheets confirm the presence of PFAS-containing foam at your workplace.
• Equipment and Maintenance Records: Maintenance records for foam systems and apparatus, along with turnout gear purchase records, can identify PFAS-treated materials. Due to the presence of PFAS in the gear itself, these records are valuable both for claims involving direct foam handling as well as for claims regarding contamination of gear.
• Supporting Evidence: Videos, photos, and station footage can verify foam application or training. Your exposure narrative is supported by coworker testimony correlating to the routine handling of AFFF. Serum PFAS testing or environmental monitoring data provide direct evidence of exposure to PFAS.

ELG Law maximizes your specialized training evidence

ELG Law can translate your specialized certifications and duties into compelling legal arguments. Our 35 years of experience in toxic exposure cases allows us to obtain records from training divisions, personnel files, and equipment inventories that strengthen claims.

We work with industrial hygienists and occupational physicians who can translate your specialty into expert causation opinions. As part of our services, we offer free case evaluations and gather evidence. If you're claiming AFFF exposure, ELG Law can support your claim by utilizing your firefighter specialty.