Airport firefighters are occasionally exposed to high-volume AFFF during training and drills. They also perform maintenance work and respond to emergencies with ARFF vehicles equipped with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Even as AFFF is being discontinued due to the presence of cancer-causing PFAS chemicals, many airports are still using AFFF, and ARFF vehicles may still contain traces of toxic chemicals.
Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) is one of the most specialized roles in the firefighting field. Firefighters typically need around 3 years of experience before attempting to obtain an Airport Firefighter certification. Many airport firefighters encounter toxic cancer-causing chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances when using AFFF, which until recently had been the standard agent for extinguishing Class B fires. If you worked as an airport firefighter, you may have documented exposure to AFFF in any of the following duties or activities:
Many airport firefighters are still exposed to AFFF, or traces of toxic chemicals from it, even after calls to stop AFFF use. The New Lede reports that only four (4) out of the 30 contaminated airports in California have shifted to a PFAS-free alternative by 2024. Twenty-two (22) airports were still using AFFF or were still in the process of phasing it out.
In airports that have already transitioned to fluorine-free foam, traces of PFAS from past AFFF stocks may still be present. When AFFF is introduced to the foam tank, it can also contaminate the entire suppression system, including accessories like valves, filling ports, pipes, and other components. In some cases, the chemicals in AFFF may also contaminate the water tank. As most airports are still struggling with a clean transition to fluorine-free alternatives, airport firefighters continue to face health risks associated with chemicals in AFFF, the worst being the development of cancer.
You may be eligible for an AFFF claim if you worked as an airport firefighter and you’ve been diagnosed with one of the following conditions that have been strongly associated with AFFF.
Kidney cancer Testicular cancer Prostate cancer Liver cancer Pancreatic cancer Bladder cancer Male breast cancer Thyroid cancerTo get a free case evaluation, we only need to verify your employment records proving that you have at least two years of service history as a firefighter (career or volunteer) and your medical records showing your diagnosis of an AFFF-related cancer.
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