The Military Acknowledges That Military Firefighters May Have Been Sickened By AFFF At More Than 700 Military Installations Around The World
Even so, there is little a doctor can do besides treat the cancer or other disease that develops
Monday, September 18, 2023 - The United States military has taken notice of the health problems that can be caused by AFFF aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Not only are health experts troubled by volatile organic compounds like the ones that poisoned the Camp Lejeune Marine base in North Carolina, but also the PFAS forever chemicals in AFFF. Government Technology (go tech.com) reports in a piece titled " For Military, PFAS in Firefighting Foam Pose New Threat," that they have become aware of the risks that military firefighting foam poses to those who use it to perform their job and also to the drinking water that may have become polluted by its improper disposal. "Now that they know they are at risk from exposure to PFAS, military firefighters at the more than 700 active and former military installations that have been polluted by AFFF are wondering what to do now." GT reports. The article calls PFAS chemicals from aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) a "new enemy, more stealthy and right under our noses. Firefighting foam contains PFAS chemicals -- per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called "forever chemicals" which are proven deadly carcinogens.
The International Agency For Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified PFOA as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B), based on limited evidence in humans that it can cause testicular and kidney cancer, and limited evidence that it can cause cancer in lab animals," according to the American Cancer Society. Military firefighters have been made aware of the link between using AFFF and developing cancer and other skin diseases and are filing AFFF lawsuits against 3M, DuPont, and about one dozen lesser-known manufacturers of the deadly chemical. One firefighter calls his occupation as a military firefighter like playing Russian Roulette with his health. Another now blames the rashes he has been getting on the skin on his hands and arms on coming into contact with the chemical repeatedly over time. " It's stressful, especially when you know there is a chance of cancer," said former Air National Guard firefighter Jeffrey Warrick, who also noted that he believes his skin condition, which acts up in warm weather, was caused by exposure to PFAS," GT told readers. The military is now providing firefighters blood testing to determine the level of PFAS in their system, however, there is nothing medicine can do to get PFAS forever chemicals out of the body. One firefighter told GT that he was disappointed that military doctors know so little about treating PFAS in the blood and he fears that the health condition may be a distraction from the important work they do saving lives as firefighters. It is equally distressing to consider that the local water supply to millions of service members and civilian employees likely has been contaminated by PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam and that AFFF may have caused thousands of incidences of cancer.
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