Florida has more active military installations than almost any other state in the country, and for decades those bases relied on Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) as the primary suppression agent for aircraft fuel fires. AFFF contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - synthetic chemicals that accumulate in the body over time and have been linked by scientific research to several forms of cancer.
Florida veterans, National Guard members, civilian airport firefighters, and base support personnel who worked around AFFF may have experienced significant exposure. This page outlines key information about AFFF litigation as it applies to Florida claimants. This content is not legal advice. If you believe you may have an AFFF-related claim, consult a licensed attorney to evaluate your individual circumstances.
What Is AFFF and Why Is It Dangerous?
AFFF was developed in the 1960s and became the military standard for suppressing jet-fuel fires. Its active agents - PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) - form a thin film over fuel surfaces that blocks oxygen and prevents reignition. These same chemicals are highly stable and do not break down in soil, water, or the human body.
Research by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has shown elevated cancer rates in populations chronically exposed to PFAS through firefighting activities. The contamination pathway is not limited to ingestion; PFAS can be absorbed through the skin during foam contact, inhaled as aerosol during training burns, and ingested through groundwater or contaminated base drinking supplies.
Major AFFF manufacturers including 3M and DuPont (now Chemours) have faced allegations in federal litigation that they conducted internal research revealing PFAS health risks and failed to adequately warn military purchasers and end users. Those allegations have driven an MDL that now encompasses tens of thousands of individual claims.
Florida Military Bases and Airports Where AFFF Was Used
Florida's large military footprint means that exposure sites are widespread across the state:
- ·Eglin Air Force Base (Okaloosa County) - one of the largest Air Force installations in the world by area. ARFF training operations here were extensive, and surrounding Okaloosa and Walton County groundwater has been subject to EPA monitoring for PFAS.
- ·Tyndall Air Force Base (Bay County) - a major fighter training base severely damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018. Long-term ARFF operations generated documented PFAS contamination in local waterways.
- ·MacDill Air Force Base (Tampa/Hillsborough County) - home of U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command. Extensive ARFF infrastructure with documented PFAS detections.
- ·Naval Air Station Jacksonville (Duval County) - a major Navy aviation hub with decades of AFFF use for aircraft rescue training.
- ·Naval Air Station Pensacola (Escambia County) - the Navy's primary aviation training base, where ARFF operations have been ongoing for more than a century.
- ·Patrick Space Force Base (Brevard County) - supports launch operations and has documented PFAS contamination concerns in the surrounding area.
- ·Homestead Air Reserve Base (Miami-Dade County) - an active reserve facility with documented AFFF use history.
Commercial airports including Miami International, Orlando International, and Tampa International also maintained CFR crews using AFFF under FAA requirements.
Cancers Associated with AFFF PFAS Exposure
The following cancers appear at elevated rates in PFAS-exposed populations and are the most common categories in AFFF personal injury litigation:
- ·Bladder cancer - the most frequently claimed cancer in MDL 2873 individual cases
- ·Kidney cancer - linked to PFOA exposure in multiple long-term cohort studies
- ·Testicular cancer - particularly among younger military firefighters
- ·Thyroid cancer - PFAS disrupt thyroid hormone pathways
- ·Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - included in some VA presumptive service-connection frameworks
- ·Prostate cancer - observed at higher rates in male firefighting cohorts
- ·Pancreatic cancer - included in some litigation frameworks
The specific cancers accepted in MDL 2873 for individual personal injury claims continue to evolve as the court and litigants develop the science. A licensed attorney can tell you whether your specific diagnosis and exposure history align with the current case categories.
The Federal AFFF Lawsuit: MDL 2873
Cases from Florida and every other state are consolidated in Multidistrict Litigation 2873, pending before Judge Richard Gergel in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. The MDL coordinates pretrial discovery, expert testimony, and bellwether trials. It does not merge cases; each individual personal injury claim retains its identity.
3M reached a settlement of approximately $12.5 billion with water-utility plaintiffs to address PFAS contamination in municipal water supplies. DuPont de Nemours and its affiliates Chemours and Corteva reached an approximately $1.185 billion water-utility settlement. Individual cancer claimants were not included in either settlement. Those claims remain active.
Florida has a significant number of claimants in the MDL given the state's large military population and the concentration of high-use AFFF installations. Florida federal cases are transferred to the D.S.C. MDL for pretrial proceedings and may be remanded to Florida federal districts for trial if not resolved through settlement.
Florida Legal Considerations for AFFF Claimants
Florida's statute of limitations for products liability claims was historically four years under Fla. Stat. Section 95.11(3). However, Florida amended its statute of limitations in 2023, reducing the standard negligence limitation period to two years. The interplay between the products liability and negligence limitations - and how the discovery rule applies to latent-disease AFFF cases - involves technical legal analysis.
The statute of limitations varies by state, by the type of claim, and by individual case facts. Florida courts recognize the discovery rule in latent-disease cases, meaning the clock may not begin to run until a plaintiff knew or should have known of the connection between their illness and AFFF exposure. However, this is not guaranteed, and courts may apply strict interpretations.
Florida also has a wrongful death statute (Fla. Stat. Section 768.19) that provides a separate claim for family members. The limitations period for wrongful death differs from personal injury. If a Florida family member died from a cancer potentially linked to AFFF, consult a licensed attorney immediately to determine whether a timely claim is available.
How Claimants Have Pursued AFFF Compensation
Florida AFFF claimants typically engage mass-tort law firms on contingency. The process involves:
- Free case evaluation - Your military service records (DD-214), employment history, VA medical records, and cancer diagnosis documents are reviewed.
- Exposure and causation assessment - Experts evaluate whether your exposure history and cancer type support a viable claim in the MDL.
- Filing - A complaint is filed in federal court and transferred to MDL 2873.
- MDL settlement or trial track - Many cases resolve through the MDL's ongoing settlement process.
Reported settlement ranges for individual AFFF cancer cases vary significantly based on cancer type, stage at diagnosis, treatment costs, age, and the strength of the causation evidence. There is no uniform AFFF settlement amount. Outcomes vary by case and by when in the MDL's progression a claim is resolved.
Next Steps for Florida AFFF Cancer Claimants
If you are a Florida veteran, National Guard member, or civilian firefighter who was exposed to AFFF and has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, lymphoma, prostate cancer, or another cancer that may be associated with PFAS, the first step is a free case evaluation with a licensed attorney who handles AFFF mass-tort litigation.
Gather what records you have: your discharge papers or employment history, any VA records or ratings, and your medical records documenting the cancer diagnosis. At the evaluation, the attorney will assess whether your facts align with the current intake criteria for MDL 2873.
This content is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The statute of limitations varies by state and by individual circumstances. Florida claimants should seek a legal consultation promptly, particularly given the 2023 changes to Florida's limitations periods. Only a licensed attorney who has reviewed your specific records can advise you on whether, and when, to file.