In June 1932, the Coast Guard Air Station Miami opened on Dinner Key in Biscayne Bay. Coast Guard Air Station Miami formally moved to its present location in Opa Locka, FL in 1965, operating a variety of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Officials with the United States Coast Guard said an initial environmental study discovered PFAS chemicals at Coast Guard Air Station Miami that exceeded both state and federal safety standards and indicated the need for a cleaning investigation.
Because of continuous or repeated contact with PFAS substances, veterans, active component service members, and their families who were stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Miami are suffering today from serious, irreversible, or incapacitating ailments. Officials with the Coast Guard said they examined groundwater for PFAS chemicals in a variety of sites, seeking for contamination from the air station's known prior usage of PFAS-laden firefighting foam. Several areas tested positive for the contaminants, according to authorities.
This site has emitted pollutants into the environment as a result of fire training areas, dumps near industrial activity, landfills, and surface spills. This is an issue not just at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, but at many military installations across this country.
In addition to a range of solvents, preservatives, and stabilizers, aqueous film-forming foam is a combination of fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon surfactants and other additives. These critical components lower the surface tension of water, enabling the foam to create an aqueous coating on the hydrocarbon fuel's surface that:
It was in the 1970s that the Department of Defense began using PFAS-based foams to extinguish fuel fires on all military locations, including the Coast Guard Air Station Miami.
PFOS and PFOA have both been found in blood samples from the general population. According to studies conducted on exposed populations, these chemicals may have resulted in increased cholesterol levels and potentially low baby birth weight. There have been reports of effects on development, neurological function, immunological function, thyroid function, and hepatic function in experimental animals. Veterans and family members who resided with them at Coast Guard Air Station Miami should monitor their health and seek medical assistance as soon as they notice any disturbing symptoms.
If you believe that you were exposed to PFAS while on active duty at Coast Guard Air Station Miami and that exposure led to one of the following illnesses, then you are entitled to seek compensation:
For decades, the harm caused by PFAS exposure has steadily crept into the lives of thousands of military service personnel and civilians living on military posts, generating a horrifying array of health issues. Paying for long-term health issues out of pocket could be a huge financial burden for your family. If you're unsure about whether or not you're entitled to file a claim, please give us a call.
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