Urban Firefighting Training Ground Named as PFAS Hotspot

Routine training using AFFF foam has transformed urban fire training grounds into long-term PFAS-contaminated areas with continuous health hazards

Sunday, April 20, 2025 - Rigid training programs, usually focused on dedicated fire academies and burn sites where firemen learn to contain everything from automobile blazes to jet fuel leaks, are something urban fire departments take great satisfaction in. For years, these facilities mostly used AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) during drills to replicate actual events. Unbeknownst, or at least not acknowledged, was the fact that the same foam used to hone life-saving abilities was silently transforming some sites into hazardous PFAS hotspots. PFAS compounds do not break down in the environment. They stay in soil and water, gradually seeping into groundwater, spreading by runoff, and occasionally they become airborne in aerosolized form. Many of these training locations are now under close examination not only as professional centers but also as pollution zones as knowledge of PFAS hazards rises. Many firemen have turned to a firefighting foam cancer lawyer or filed claims through an AFFF cancer lawsuit to seek responsibility and compensation as increasing numbers of cancer cases among those who trained at these sites call for attention. In metropolitan regions where training facilities are located close to schools, communities, and municipal water systems, the problem is more critical. City-based fire training facilities share space with the general public unlike isolated industrial sites, therefore the consequences of PFAS exposure aren't limited to firemen alone. Without their knowledge, contaminated water runoff from drills could find its way into storm drains or sewer systems, therefore compromising entire neighborhoods. Environmental studies conducted at many towns near fire academies have revealed high levels of PFAS in soil and water--sometimes decades after the foam was last applied. That's so because PFAS doesn't just go. Not even ceased use addresses the issue. Once unleashed, it permeates far below ground, hooks itself to silt, and builds gradually over time. Training sites are thus a form of "forever chemical farm," where leftover contamination poses health hazards long after the drills stop.

For firefighters who trained at these locations--often weekly, over the course of their whole careers--the health consequences are startling. Many were regularly exposed to foam during drills when protective gear was either lacking or not properly cleaned later. This led to frequent skin contact and foam vapors inhaled over time. Usually unrecorded, these exposures lacked official surveillance or long-term medical follow-up. Years later, some of those same firefighters have been diagnosed with renal, testicular, or prostate cancer--disorders now clearly linked to PFAS exposure. Others deal with thyroid problems or mystery immune system problems. Legal action and demands for federal health checks especially for firemen exposed at training facilities have resulted from the new trend. Many departments still lack policies to clean polluted sites or notify the public about their existence, despite the rising count of cases. The absence of finance and control aggravates the situation. While some fire departments are looking at their grounds for contamination, many just lack the means. Correcting PFAS calls for sophisticated filtration systems, soil excavation, and groundwater treatment; it is costly. Without federal help, most local governments are not able to manage such expenses.

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