In 1942, the military installation was established as a Naval Reserve base after initially serving as a pilot and ground crew training site. It became a Naval Support Activity type of military base in 1998. The personnel of the base focus on support services, human resources, and readiness operations. In 2017, health organizations found significant contamination with PFAS in the environment of Naval Support Activity Mid-South. The Environmental Protection Agency is now trying to remove the toxic agents from the premises of the military base.
What toxic agents are present on Naval Support Activity Mid-South?
While the only contaminants of concern that are lurking on Naval Support Activity Mid-South are PFAS, this does not mean that military members who were stationed there are safe when it comes to their health. Even in small concentrations, PFAS can be highly dangerous. The larger the amount of PFAS in your blood, the greater your chances of developing a serious, even life-threatening disease.
As is the case with the other contaminated military bases, the source of PFAS on Naval Support Activity Mid-South is the employment of AFFF by military firefighters and trainees to extinguish petroleum and jet fuel fires. Interestingly, this fire suppressant was developed by the U.S. Navy together with the notorious 3M company in 1966 and has been widely used for Class B fires ever since. AFFF has a very high concentration of PFAS in it.
Also known as "forever chemicals", PFAS persist in the environment after they are released by people who use AFFF, as these chemicals do not break down. Therefore, the rigorous cleanup activities of organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency are necessary to mitigate the contamination. Exposure to PFAS occurs via inhalation and ingestion, and if you were a military firefighter, your risk of coming to struggle with a terrible disease is even higher.
What health problems is PFAS exposure responsible for?
Without a doubt, the most terrible disease exposure to PFAS can result in is cancer, which can affect countless parts of the body, depending on where the highest concentration of these chemicals has accumulated. Nonetheless, the presence of PFAS in your blood can lead to chronic health issues as well. The following is a comprehensive list of all the health problems exposure to PFAS can cause:
If you or a loved one who spent time at Naval Support Activity Mid-South has one of the diagnoses above, we strongly encourage you to get in touch with our legal team, as the main area of practice of our law firm is toxic exposure. Therefore, our resourceful attorneys can promptly help you recover the financial compensation you are entitled to from the responsible AFFF companies. Similarly, if you are a woman who stayed at this military base while pregnant and your baby was born with health issues, you should also contact us, as you can obtain compensation for your child.
