The general image of military service is usually soldiers in combat zones or sailors at sea. However, a select group of service members possesses the rare opportunity to hold both careers simultaneously: military firefighters.
Every military branch has its dedicated fire crews. These firefighters undergo rigorous and comprehensive training in both firefighting and military procedures and protocols. It enables them to handle emergencies that may arise while on duty, and protect personnel, equipment, facilities, and assets from fires and other hazardous incidents through:
- fire prevention and suppression
- rescue operations
- hazardous material response
- emergency medical services
- incident command
According to data from 2020, the US had approximately 1,041,200 firefighters, including career, volunteer, and paid-per-call firefighters. Military firefighting personnel include around 800 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) specialists of the Marine Corps and approximately 250 active-duty firefighters in the Army. In the Navy, sailors across the fleet are trained in firefighting starting from day one at recruit training, regardless of their primary job function. Navy firefighters are also known as firemen or Damage Controlmen (DCs), and they're trained in:
- CBR (chemical, biological, radiological) defense
- handling fire and emergencies
- flood control
Fire is one of the biggest threats to a ship at sea, so every sailor needs some firefighting training. However, Navy firefighters are the go-to experts when things go bad; they were assigned to shore duty at Navy bases, not just ships, and their duties included:
- firefighting aboard ships, submarines, and aircraft
- training other sailors in emergency procedures
- handling hazardous materials and decontamination
- operating and maintaining firefighting equipment and breathing apparatus
- responding to flooding, pipe bursts, or structural damage
Due to their essential roles in firefighting, ship maintenance, and damage response, Navy firefighters were among the most at-risk Navy ratings for asbestos exposure. Moreover, before 1970, the devastating health effects of asbestos were not well understood. Consequently, the poor quality of personal protective equipment (PPE) reflected this lack of understanding and wasn't made to protect against asbestos until years later.
Military Firefighters' Toxic Exposure Occurred on Land and at Sea
Military firefighters' occupational exposures are complex and involve a mix of hazards resulting from fires, including chemical and physical risk factors during training and emergencies.
Whether they serve on bases, ships, or submarines, they can be exposed to an extensive range of airborne hazards, like fine and ultrafine particulates such as asbestos, and compounds of chemical fire-suppressant foams, such as AFFF. What is often overlooked is that military firefighters suffered multiple exposures, sometimes at the same time, all of them with the potential to cause long-term health issues, including cancer and respiratory diseases.
AFFF is used to fight high-hazard flammable liquid fires and contains chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are classified as probable human carcinogens. The Navy required all its vessels to carry AFFF by the late 1960s. In the 1970s, the Navy-developed AFFF was heavily used to fight fuel fires at all military installations, exposing thousands of firefighters and other military personnel to carcinogenic PFAS. Even today, the US military is the largest user of firefighting foams, consuming an estimated 75% of the market.
Furthermore, the US Defense Department employed civilians as firefighters and stationed them at military bases. They were responsible for firefighting but were not considered service members. However, exposure is the same, and developing severe health issues later is a risk for every firefighter, military or not. Those who served in the Navy and were exposed to asbestos may have developed asbestos-related cancers and be eligible to file claims to receive benefits if they have proof of exposure and their medical records include a diagnosis of any of the following cancers:
- pharyngeal cancer
- colorectal cancer
- mesothelioma
- laryngeal cancer
- esophageal cancer
- urogenital cancer
- bronchial cancer
- lung cancer
- gastrointestinal cancer
Since many older buildings still contain asbestos, the flames may not be their only hazard when firefighters are called to extinguish a fire. When buildings containing asbestos products catch fire, microscopic asbestos particles can become airborne and inhaled or ingested by firefighters. Both military and civilian firefighters are at risk of developing mesothelioma, a cancer exclusively tied to asbestos exposure. However, asbestos exposure in firefighters is often neglected: the rate of asbestos-related mesothelioma in firefighters is twice the rate in the general population. Asbestos contamination risks are lower now than in the past due to regulations limiting the use of asbestos, but firefighters still risk exposure in older buildings.
Unfortunately, the risks of asbestos exposure don't stop at the fire scene. Firefighters may have transported the toxic microscopic fibers back to their stations on their clothes, vehicles, and equipment, putting other firefighters at risk. If a firefighter went home without showering or properly cleaning the gear, family members may have suffered secondhand asbestos exposure.
Firefighters Should Monitor Their Health as They Age
All firefighting personnel should be on alert regarding their health, given the many contamination risks they face. Diseases linked to asbestos exposure, for instance, take decades to develop, so paying attention to changes in well-being is crucial.
A study by the NIOSH showed that firefighters are twice as likely to develop mesothelioma as the general population, and specifically linked this higher rate to asbestos exposure. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) found that firefighters had a 100% higher chance of getting mesothelioma than non-firefighters. However, besides malignant asbestos illnesses, firefighters may develop other non-cancerous diseases stemming from their asbestos exposure:
- pulmonary fibrosis
- asbestosis
- recurrent pneumonia
- emphysema
- rounded atelectasis
- chronic bronchitis
- pleural effusion
- pleural plaques
- pleural thickening
- COPD
- lung nodules and spots
- asthma
Although these diseases don't qualify veteran Navy firefighters for compensation, they should be monitored as they potentially develop into cancer. Only periodic check-ups can uncover asbestos cancers in their incipient phases, and a cancer diagnosis will make former service members eligible for claims.
Assisting and Guiding Former Navy Firefighters With Obtaining Financial Compensation After a Diagnosis
Veteran firefighters of the Navy who were exposed to asbestos and AFFF during their military service may be eligible for compensation from the asbestos trust funds and VA disability benefits if they have a diagnosed health condition linked to the exposure and can prove service connection. To claim benefits, you must provide evidence of exposure and establish a medical nexus between the exposure and the diagnosed health condition.
Civilian firefighters exposed to asbestos and AFFF may be eligible for financial compensation through the asbestos trust funds or lawsuits against foam manufacturers. We can assist you in contacting legal experts who are ready to guide you through the claiming process.