Even though AFFF is very effective in putting out jet fuel and petroleum fires, it is a dangerous fire suppressant, as with each use, it releases tremendous amounts of PFAS, which can persist in the environment for over a thousand years. Similarly, once in the body, they remain in the blood for a long time, greatly endangering the person’s health. The extent of PFAS contamination at Dyess Air Force Base is extremely severe, as the level of these chemicals is currently 2,052,000 ppt, eclipsing the safe exposure limit by nearly 30,000 times. While veteran firefighters have the highest risk of developing life-threatening diseases, as they were directly exposed to PFAS, everyone who lived at Dyess Air Force Base is at risk.
What toxic agents were present on Dyess Air Force Base?
At the moment, PFAS are the only known contaminants of concern at Dyess Air Force Base. Still, due to the military’s activity, other toxic agents might lurk on the installation, such as solvents and heavy metals. Out of the PFAS group, which includes over 9,000 chemicals, PFOS and PFOA are the most dangerous, as they have a strong association with cancer. The current safe exposure limit to both is 70 ppt, but recently, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new limits for these harmful contaminants.
The new limit for PFOS is 0.02 ppt, and for PFOA, it is 0.004 ppt. Ultimately, the agency wants the level of these hazardous chemicals to be as close to zero as possible. According to the proposed rule, the PFOS level at Dyess Air Force Base is 3,210 times over the safe limit, whereas the PFOA level exceeds it by 96 million times. Therefore, one can only imagine how toxic these substances are not only to veterans who spent time at Dyess Air Force Base but also to the neighboring communities.
What diseases can you develop following toxic exposure at Dyess Air Force Base?
Toxic exposure at Dyess Air Force Base can result in numerous diseases, but veterans who intend to file a claim should know that only certain diagnoses make them eligible. Even so, having one of the qualifying diseases might still not be enough to become entitled to compensation, as there are other criteria you have to meet, such as how much time you spent on contaminated military installations. The following are the diseases that might qualify veterans who spent at leas 1 cumulative year at the military base to file a toxic exposure claim:
Our law firm has over 30 years of experience in pursuing compensation for toxic exposure victims, and many of our clients are veterans in the same situation as you. If you were stationed at Dyess Air Force Base and now struggle with one of the above diseases, you should get in touch with our legal team to have your case evaluated. The legal process is simple and will mostly take place over the phone, as we understand how overwhelming suffering from a serious disease can be.
