At the moment, there are over 11,000 people working or serving on Keesler Air Force Base, as the military base has recently created 3,417 jobs. The military base has high-quality technical schools and absorbed units moved from other sites under the Base Realignment and Closure Act. It was originally named Biloxi Air Corps Technical School. Since 1993, the 81st TRW has been providing technical training of airmen in select skill areas after they complete basic training, and the military base has also been offering additional or recurrent training. It is estimated that Keesler Air Force Base has 3,100 students at a time.
In the early 1960s, the U.S. Navy, together with the renowned 3M company, invented aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, a very effective fire suppressant that has been used since then by both civilian and military firefighters to extinguish class B fires. The major problem with AFFF is that it contains large concentrations of PFAS, a group of dangerous fluorinated chemicals. Exposure to PFAS, particularly if it is prolonged, can lead to the development of very serious diseases, including multiple types of cancer. For this reason, if you were stationed at Keesler Air Force Base after the 1960s, you should pay close attention to your health, as you are at high risk of coming to struggle with a disease.
What hazardous substances were present on Keesler Air Force Base?
While PFAS are the primary contaminant lurking on Keesler Air Force Base, health organizations have recently discovered that many buildings of the military base are also laden with other toxic agents. The following are some of the dangerous substances members of the military who were stationed at Keesler Air Force Base may have been exposed to, in addition to PFAS:
- hexavalent chromium
- lead
- strontium chromate
- methalyene chloride
According to the records of a September 2015 inspection, the airborne levels of hexavalent chromium in Building 4301 were nearly 3 times above the Occupational Environmental Exposure Limit. It is worthy of note that some of these agents are carcinogenic, which only worsens the extent of toxic exposure among members of the military. Nevertheless, you should know that if you intend to seek financial compensation for toxic exposure, you can only file a claim for PFAS exposure.
Once PFAS reach the inside of the human body via inhalation or ingestion, they remain there forever, hence their nickname “forever chemicals”, and you cannot eliminate them. As a result, over the years, they may cause severe damage to the organs or tissues as they attach themselves to and eventually give way to a terrible disease. Veterans who were stationed at Keesler Air Force Base and experience unusual symptoms are strongly advised to seek medical attention, as their health may be at stake.
What diseases can PFAS exposure cause?
In addition to cancer, which may occur nearly anywhere in the body, PFAS exposure is also responsible for the development of other diseases. Before you decide to file a toxic exposure claim, you should know that there must be a definitive causal relation between your diagnosis and PFAS exposure. Accordingly, you can file a toxic exposure claim only if you have one of the following diagnoses:
It is essential to know that if you are the family member of a veteran who was stationed with them at Keesler Air Force Base and came to struggle with a disease as a consequence of PFAS exposure, you are also entitled to financial compensation, which our skilled legal team can help you recover.
