AFFF Is Deadly and For Life

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) – more universally known as firefighting foam is a fire suppressant agent used to extinguish petroleum and jet fuel-based fires. Used widely by firefighters and military personnel, firefighting foam is an efficient way to get the job done. Yet this efficient tool comes at a significant cost.

Development

In 1902, a Russian engineer and chemist, Aleksandr Loran, created the first firefighting foam. The foam was meant to fight petroleum-based fires as water was an ineffective extinguishing agent. In the 1960s The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) partnered with the 3M Company and made several advancements in firefighting foam through studying the synthetic chemicals Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). These chemicals were then used in firefighting foams as a more effective means to extinguish fires based on hydrocarbon fuel.

Why Is Fire Foam Bad?

Numerous studies have shown that AFFF contains perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also know as “forever chemicals.” These chemical compounds are bioaccumulative and have been connected to cancers. Breast cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer and testicular cancer have all been linked to PFAS. The companies that manufacture AFFF have known about this for years but have chosen profit instead of taking these harmful chemicals out of the hands of our heroes.

I Have Been Exposed. Now What?

The first step is awareness – if you or your loved one has been exposed to firefighting foam, whether it has been a few months or decades, it’s important to see your doctor regularly to make sure you’re in good health. For some people who have already been diagnosed with cancer or who have even lost their lives to cancer, it’s not too late to seek a measure of justice. There are various lawsuits being filed across the country to hold these companies accountable for knowingly putting our firefighters and military personnel’s health at risk.