Often, people assume that the lives of firefighters are all about gumption and glory, as depicted on television. However, that might be partially true, because they have to save people from getting hurt at a site that has caught fire and ensure there is minor property damage.
While this makes them appear like heroes, there is a downside to this profession. The majority of them are affected by severe ailments later because of firefighting foam exposure, which they can’t avoid at work. AFFF or the fire fighting foam is effective in extinguishing liquid fires, but when inhaled, it can cause several health hazards, the symptoms of which might not surface immediately.
AFFF Is Unsafe for Firefighters
AFFF, or aqueous film-forming foam, as it’s called, has been in use since the 1970s for diffusing jet fuel and petroleum fires. The foam is indeed effective in extinguishing a massive fire at a site, but the toxic chemicals that it carries, namely PFOA and PFOS, are harmful to health because they are categorized as carcinogens. Prolonged exposure to this foam can make firefighters develop cancer of various types, along with other fatal diseases.
Hence, it is evident that the lives of firefighters are indeed not completely safe when they are on-site. In this article, we will delve into the health hazards that are caused by AFFF exposure so that firefighters can stay alert.
AFFF in Action So Far
AFFF comprises chemical components and water that have propylene glycol and ethylene, which add more life to the foam. It is available in 3% and 6% formulas, based on the amount of water that has been added. To ensure that the mixture is foamy and develops a film that extinguishes the fire, AFFF comprises the chemical PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in it.
While on duty, the firefighters spray this foam onto the fire, which coats the fuel and cools off the flames. It prevents the fire from getting reignited again. According to the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), PFOA is a 28-carcinogen, which means it has carcinogenic effects for humans.
Keeping in mind the adverse environmental and health concerns, a few AFFF manufacturers have decided to completely phase out PFOS production in the United States from 2022 onwards. Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency has come up with a final guidance on SNUR (Significant New Use Rule) in January 2021 for regulating PFAS.
Based on this rule, companies are prohibited from manufacturing, importing, using, and even processing specific long-chain PFAS without allowing the EPA to assess and approve it. And this applies to the companies that import these chemicals as they are used as a surface coating. However, irrespective of the regulations by the EPA, there might be older AFFF stocks that still contribute to both human and environmental hazards.
In the AFFF lawsuit update of February 2024, close to 279 fresh cases have been added to the class action MDL. The total number of cases equals 6,994, and the lawyers are all set to address them so that plaintiffs can get both justice and their share of fair compensation to recover from the damages that they’ve endured.
The Health Hazards of AFFF Exposure
The European Commission urged the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) to investigate the health and environmental risks posed by PFAS in the lives of firefighters.
The report in March 2022 by the US EPA22 shares that long-chain PFOA and PFOS can result in kidney, liver, developmental, reproductive, and immunological effects on animals kept at the laboratory. The chemicals are known to cause tumors based on animal studies.
Furthermore, the EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have connected PFAS with multiple health issues, such as:
- High cholesterol
- Preeclampsia for women who are pregnant
- Changes in the liver enzymes
- Changes in the immune system
- A decrease in the birth weight of infants
- Thyroid disorders
- Increased chances of developing cancer, such as testicular and kidney cancer
The IARC has conducted many studies on long-term exposure to PFAS in humans, which led to prostate cancer. Therefore, AFFF is known as an occupational hazard that, other than causing discomfort on site, causes health issues and cancer in victims, which can lead to death and bring down their quality of life.
Should You Seek Legal Aid?
Once you get the necessary treatment for any of the AFFF exposure health hazards, it is essential to seek legal counsel. TorHoerman Law states that the lawsuits question the responsibility of chemical manufacturing. The objective of the lawsuits is to acquire monetary and injunctive relief, disclose research, and ensure that victims get the desired compensation for testing and remediation costs.
It is necessary that you submit essential medical documents and healthcare data to your lawyer. They will study them to extract the vital points and use them to develop a compelling case that will ensure that the verdict is in your favor.
In conclusion, it is a known fact that the lives of firefighters are in danger because of AFFF, which causes cancer and other kinds of ailments. They must seek fluorine-free alternatives so that they don’t face similar health hazards similar to others in the past. Additionally, the ones affected should seek both medical and legal aid.
