Located in Plattsburgh, New York, along the western shore of Lake Champlain about 20 miles south of the Canadian border, the installation began as Plattsburgh Barracks in 1895 before expanding into Plattsburgh Army Air Base during World War II and becoming Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 1948. As one of the Air Force's most important Strategic Air Command installations, it hosted B-47 Stratojet and later B-52 Stratofortress bombers before shifting to KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling under the 380th Bombardment Wing and later the 380th Air Refueling Wing, closing in 1995 under the Base Realignment and Closure program. Much of the base, including its hangars, maintenance complexes, steam plants, and boiler systems, was built or significantly expanded between the 1940s and 1960s.
AFFF exposure at Plattsburgh Air Force Base
As a Strategic Air Command installation supporting bomber and aerial refueling aircraft, Plattsburgh Air Force Base maintained dedicated Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting capabilities and Fire Training Areas where crews trained to respond to aircraft emergencies. Official Air Force environmental restoration records identify these former training areas as sites historically used for live-fire aircraft crash rescue exercises involving aviation fuel fires and AFFF, supporting recurring firefighter certification and emergency response readiness throughout the Cold War.
The work at these sites followed a familiar pattern for anyone in fire protection. Fuel got ignited to simulate an aircraft emergency, firefighters applied AFFF to bring the fire under control, proportioning systems were checked to confirm the mix was correct, and afterward came the routine of cleaning gear and restocking foam supplies before the next exercise.
Air Force Fire Protection Specialists and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting personnel carried the bulk of this exposure, joined by fire instructors, firefighter trainees, fire apparatus operators, and the staff responsible for maintaining foam systems and firefighting vehicles.
Firefighters exposed to AFFF through this kind of recurring training face a documented cancer risk tied to the chemicals in the foam itself:
If your firefighter service at Plattsburgh Air Force Base included this kind of training and you've since received one of these diagnoses, our team can review your history and let you know whether you're eligible to file an AFFF claim.
Asbestos exposure at Plattsburgh Air Force Base
Like many large Air Force installations built during World War II and the Cold War, Plattsburgh Air Force Base relied heavily on asbestos for its fire-resistant and insulating properties. Materials commonly used throughout its hangars, steam plants, and administrative buildings included:
Not every trade on base faced the same exposure risk. The people who kept mechanical systems and buildings running day to day were the ones most likely to disturb these materials:
Because Plattsburgh AFB operated from the World War II era through the end of the Cold War, maintenance personnel, engineers, mechanics, and contractors serviced aircraft facilities, barracks, steam systems, and base infrastructure throughout that entire span. Mesothelioma and lung cancer, the two conditions most closely tied to this kind of work, often don't surface for 20 to 50 years after the original exposure, meaning a veteran who worked at Plattsburgh Air Force Base decades ago might only be seeing symptoms now. If your service included that kind of maintenance work and you've since received either diagnosis, contact our team to find out whether you're eligible to file an asbestos claim.