Read the full article by Juliette Fairley (Legal Newsline)
“SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) – While docked in San Diego, the USS Bonhomme Richard caught fire and burnt, preventing the vessel from embarking on its mission to launch F-35Bs from aboard. It wasn’t until the fourth day of the continuous flames that military officials decided to use the fire-suppressant called Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) to assist in extinguishing the fire and protecting firefighters.
‘During the first three days the Navy was battling the fire aboard the USS Bonhomme-Richard, no AFFF was employed, and the fire was fought primarily with San Diego Bay water,’ said Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, a U.S. Navy spokeswoman. ‘In line with Department of Defense (DoD) policy, the decision to use AFFF was allowed for this emergency response situation and the on-scene commanders made the necessary decisions regarding how and when to use AFFF.’
As previously reported, PFAS are man-made chemicals that can be found in common products, such as AFFF.
‘The Department of the Navy is committed to protecting the health of our Service members, their families, and the surrounding communities, and that includes minimizing the risk of exposure to PFAS chemicals,’ Schwegman said in an interview…”