San Diego, California AFFF Lawsuit Help Center

AFFF Exposure in San Diego: What Potentially Exposed Individuals Should Know

Aqueous film-forming foam, commonly called AFFF, has been used for decades to suppress fires involving aviation fuel, gasoline, petroleum products, and other flammable liquids. Because of its specialized fire-control properties, AFFF has been used in airport operations, firefighting, military facilities, industrial settings, emergency response, and fire-training exercises.

People who encountered AFFF were not necessarily the individuals spraying the foam. Firefighters, military personnel, airport employees, aircraft mechanics, fuel handlers, maintenance crews, contractors, and emergency responders could have come into contact with AFFF while training, testing suppression systems, maintaining equipment, or cleaning areas after foam was discharged.

Some historical AFFF formulations contained PFAS chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS. Certain PFAS compounds are persistent and can remain in the environment and human body for extended periods.

If you were exposed to AFFF in San Diego, elsewhere in California, or during military service and later developed a serious illness, your circumstances may justify an individual legal review.

REQUEST A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL CASE REVIEW

An initial evaluation can be requested without charge, and learning about your potential options does not require you to pursue a lawsuit.

AFFF Contact Could Happen During Everyday Work Activities

Exposure was not necessarily the result of standing directly in a large fuel fire.

Fire-suppression systems require inspections, testing, maintenance, and repairs. Firefighters and other personnel can also encounter foam during drills and while cleaning equipment following a discharge.

Potential exposure situations may include:

• Participating in aircraft-fire or firefighter training
• Responding to fuel or petroleum fires
• Operating or testing foam-delivery equipment
• Filling, draining, or maintaining foam tanks
• Servicing pumps, hoses, valves, and suppression systems
• Maintaining emergency vehicles
• Cleaning firefighting apparatus
• Handling protective clothing following foam use
• Working near aircraft fueling operations
• Inspecting fire-protection equipment
• Cleaning hangars, work areas, or equipment after a foam release

When exposure occurred many years ago, the specific AFFF product may be difficult to determine. Employment files, military records, training histories, workplace documents, and historical facility information may help establish the circumstances.

What Is AFFF?

AFFF is a specialized firefighting foam designed primarily for fires involving flammable liquids. It can spread across the fuel surface, helping suppress vapors, cool the burning material, and limit the possibility of reignition.

Some older AFFF formulations contained PFAS chemicals because of their resistance to heat, water, oil, and degradation.

PFOA and PFOS are two PFAS compounds that have been extensively studied. AFFF products changed over the years, however, so the formulations used at different facilities and during different periods were not necessarily identical.

A potential exposure assessment may examine the product, location, time period, work duties, frequency of contact, and available records.

San Diego-Area Settings Where AFFF Exposure May Be Relevant

San Diego's extensive aviation, military, maritime, firefighting, and industrial activity creates several potential settings where historical AFFF exposure may be relevant.

San Diego Firefighters and Emergency Personnel

Firefighters may have encountered AFFF during specialized training and responses involving flammable liquids.

Contact can also occur during equipment servicing and cleanup. Foam residue may remain on fire engines, hoses, protective equipment, floors, and other surfaces after a discharge.

For former firefighters, department records, assignments, training histories, and service dates may help document potential exposure.

Military Personnel and Veterans

San Diego has a significant military presence, and a person's AFFF exposure may have occurred at a military facility either locally or elsewhere.

Military firefighters, aircraft mechanics, aviation crews, fuel handlers, maintenance workers, and crash-response teams may have encountered AFFF during emergency operations, training, equipment testing, or maintenance.

A complete service history may be important when identifying potential exposure locations.

Naval and Maritime Workers

AFFF has historically been used in certain maritime environments where aviation fuel, petroleum products, and other flammable materials presented specialized fire risks.

Depending on their responsibilities, naval personnel, shipyard workers, maintenance crews, contractors, emergency responders, and other maritime employees may have encountered foam during drills, system testing, emergency response, repairs, or cleanup.

The particular facility, vessel, equipment, and period of use may be important to an exposure assessment.

Airport and Aviation Workers

Aircraft rescue and firefighting operations have historically used specialized foam because aviation fuel fires can be difficult to control.

Potentially exposed workers may include:

• Aircraft rescue firefighters
• Airport emergency personnel
• Aircraft mechanics
• Fuel handlers
• Maintenance employees
• Hangar workers
• Fire-system technicians
• Contractors
• Aviation training personnel

Potential contact may occur during emergency response, training exercises, inspections, repairs, testing, or cleanup.

Industrial and Maintenance Workers

Specialized fire-suppression systems may be found at properties where fuel, chemicals, petroleum products, or other combustible materials are handled.

Workers and contractors may encounter AFFF during inspections, system testing, maintenance, repairs, emergency response, or cleanup.

Mechanics, electricians, equipment technicians, maintenance workers, and contractors may have relevant exposure histories even when firefighting was not their primary occupation.

Who May Want an AFFF Exposure Review?

A potential review may be appropriate for someone who previously:

• Handled, mixed, sprayed, or transported AFFF
• Worked as a firefighter
• Participated in specialized fire-training exercises
• Responded to aircraft or fuel fires
• Worked around aircraft-rescue equipment
• Served in military firefighting or emergency-response roles
• Maintained foam tanks or suppression systems
• Repaired pumps, hoses, valves, or related equipment
• Cleaned vehicles or protective gear following foam deployment
• Worked around aviation fuel operations
• Worked aboard or around facilities using specialized firefighting foam
• Experienced repeated foam leaks, spills, or discharges
• Lived or worked near a location associated with historical PFAS use
• Used water potentially affected by an AFFF release
• Later developed a serious medical condition following potential exposure

A person's occupation or diagnosis alone does not establish eligibility. The exposure circumstances, medical history, employment records, military service, and applicable law may all be relevant.

San Diego Firefighters and First Responders

Firefighters may have encountered AFFF through emergency calls, training exercises, equipment inspections, maintenance, and post-incident cleanup.

Repeated contact can occur through routine duties rather than a single dramatic event. Servicing foam equipment, maintaining apparatus, handling hoses, and cleaning protective equipment after use may all be relevant.

Former firefighters may want to preserve information about their departments, assignments, training programs, and years of service.

Military, Aviation, and Fuel Personnel

AFFF exposure does not require direct employment as a firefighter.

Military aviation personnel, aircraft mechanics, fuel-service workers, airport contractors, hangar employees, maintenance crews, and emergency responders may have worked around foam systems or entered areas where AFFF was discharged.

Training, system testing, inspections, repairs, and cleanup may all be relevant when documenting potential occupational exposure.

Could PFAS From AFFF Affect Drinking Water?

Certain PFAS compounds can remain in the environment following historical AFFF releases. Under some conditions, these chemicals may move through soil and groundwater and potentially affect nearby water sources.

This can raise questions about possible drinking-water exposure near locations where firefighting foam was historically used.

However, the detection of PFAS in water does not automatically establish the source of contamination or prove that an individual's illness resulted from the exposure.

An environmental assessment may consider water-testing results, groundwater information, historical site records, environmental investigations, and evidence concerning potential sources.

FIND OUT WHETHER YOUR EXPOSURE HISTORY MAY DESERVE A REVIEW

A confidential evaluation can help identify potentially relevant employment, military, environmental, and medical records.

Medical Conditions Being Studied in PFAS Research

Research into PFAS exposure and human health continues to develop. Scientific studies and federal health agencies have reported associations between certain PFAS compounds and particular health outcomes.

An association does not automatically establish that PFAS caused a particular person's illness.

A potential AFFF claim may therefore require reviewing the diagnosis together with exposure history, medical records, scientific evidence, timing, and other possible risk factors.

Kidney Cancer

PFOA exposure has been studied in connection with kidney cancer. A person diagnosed with kidney cancer who also has a history of potential AFFF exposure may want to have their circumstances evaluated.

A review may consider the location of exposure, frequency and duration of contact, timing of diagnosis, treatment history, and other possible risk factors.

A diagnosis alone does not establish that AFFF caused the cancer.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer has also been investigated in connection with PFOA exposure and has been alleged in PFAS-related litigation.

Whether an individual diagnosis may support an AFFF-related claim depends on the available exposure evidence, medical history, scientific information, and applicable legal standards.

Other Health Conditions

Researchers have investigated additional cancers and health outcomes in connection with different PFAS compounds. The available evidence may differ depending on the specific chemical and condition being considered.

For that reason, a serious diagnosis should be evaluated alongside the person's actual exposure circumstances rather than assuming that every illness automatically qualifies for an AFFF lawsuit.

What Compensation Could Potentially Be Pursued?

When supported by the facts and applicable law, an AFFF personal-injury claim may potentially seek compensation for:

• Medical bills and healthcare expenses
• Hospitalization and surgery
• Prescription medications
• Rehabilitation and continuing treatment
• Future medical care
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Diminished quality of life
• Loss of companionship or support
• Funeral and burial expenses in qualifying wrongful-death cases
• Other damages permitted under applicable law

The potential value of a claim depends on the person's individual circumstances. The severity of the illness, medical expenses, lost income, exposure evidence, causation, and applicable law may all affect potential damages.

No specific settlement, verdict, or compensation amount can be guaranteed.

Preserve Your AFFF Exposure History

If you believe you encountered AFFF in San Diego, elsewhere in California, or during employment or military service in another location, older records may still be important.

Employment documents, military records, training histories, medical files, former workplace information, environmental reports, and water-testing results may help establish when and where potential exposure occurred.

REQUEST A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL CASE REVIEW

Requesting an evaluation does not obligate you to pursue litigation. Your potential legal options depend on your individual exposure history, medical circumstances, available evidence, and the law applicable to your claim.