Bell Legal Group

Bell Legal Group

Then and Now: How Forever Chemicals Changed Firefighting

Fire turnout coats and helmets hang in a row on hooks

Forever chemicals profoundly affected firefighting, and decades later these compounds continue to influence the industry, only this time for the better. When manufacturers added hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to fire suppressants and clothing, they introduced toxins into this…

Beyond the Symptoms: The Impact of AFFF Exposure

Firefighter stands by firetruck speaking on walkie talkie

The symptoms from Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) exposure are debilitating, but the impact of using these suppressants stretches beyond physical ailments. The timeline of AFFF use began with military firefighters in the 1960s, and soon enough civilian departments and airports…

How AFFF Manufacturers Marketed to Fire Departments

Firefighters spraying AFFF

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) manufacturers fooled fire departments for years with marketing tactics that emphasized the foam’s benefits instead of its hazardous active ingredients. The glossy pages of fire industry magazines featured fire foam on every other page, applauding its…