Pensacola Naval Air Station
Mesothelioma is a dangerous disease brought on by a prolonged exposure to asbestos. This most commonly occurs in the workplace. Shipyards, which employed so many people during wartimes, used asbestos abundantly and caused thousands of people to develop mesothelioma years later. One such shipyard and construction company is the Pensacola Naval Air Station.
About the Pensacola Naval Air Station
Developed in the 1800s, the Pensacola Naval Air Station sits about an hour away from Mobile, Alabama on the Pensacola Bay in northwest Florida. When it was first built, it was used primarily to suppress the slave trade and to combat piracy in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. After the Civil War came to an end, it was used as a Navy Yard until 1911 when it was decommissioned.
Three years later, the Pensacola Naval Air Station was chosen as the first Aeronautic Center and a flying school was opened on the land. It was the central training facility for pilots during both world wars and has also been the location where many notable astronauts began their training. It continues to be one of the premier pilot training facilities in the nation, and is also the home of the National Museum of Naval Aviation.
The Air Station and Asbestos
During the shipyard boom, asbestos was not considered the dangerous chemical that we know it as today. Shipyards used the chemical abundantly, and the Pensacola Naval Air Station is no exception. Asbestos becomes harmful when bits and pieces break off and are inhaled or ingested into the body. These pieces are lodged in the respiratory system and cause a number of problems, including mesothelioma, a form of cancer.
The Naval Air Station used an abundance of asbestos, especially during the two World Wars, when it designed and developed the most ships and naval aircrafts. Previous employees of the shipyard should check with their doctor if they believe they were exposed to a large amount of asbestos while they worked there. This way the doctor can perform the proper tests that will look for mesothelioma or any other medical ailments that may have been caused by asbestos.
A Little about Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma, the most common and also the most deadly ailment caused by exposure to asbestos, is a form of cancer that can be found in the lungs or chest cavity (most commonly) or in the stomach (rarely). Symptoms of the disease do not show up until about 20-30 years after exposure to asbestos, so even if you haven't been around the chemical recently, you may still want to make sure that you don't have mesothelioma.
If you have mesothelioma or have lost a loved one because of the disease, and it was caused by workplace conditions, you have a legal right to seek compensation for medical bills and losses. There are many mesothelioma lawyers in practice now and finding one nearby you shouldn't be a problem. If you have suffered from the use of asbestos in a previous job, take the steps to get the money you deserve. You shouldn't have to suffer through this unfortunate condition and have to worry about paying bills at the same time.
- Early Detection of Mesothelioma Crucial
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