International entities using PFAS-free firefighting foams, Bulletin #37 International entities Location Year Auckland Airport Auckland, New Zealand 2019 1 All 27 major Australian airports including Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (changed over in 2014) Australia 2018 2 Bristol Airport Bristol, England,…
Removing PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ will be a costly undertaking for fire services, but help is at hand
A recent Environmental Protection Association (EPA) report, prepared by Sweco, shows the scale of the challenge when it comes to addressing the use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam in Ireland. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals commonly used in…
Despite advantages of using Class A foam to battle wildfires, use is down – that needs to change
The frequency and intensity of wildfires is on the rise around the world, and companies in the fire-safety industry are working tirelessly to introduce new, technologically advanced products that will help firefighters to better contain and put out these fires.…
Use of foam for firefighting in tank farms of the oil and petrochemical industry – Part 2
Part One of this article described the typical incident scenarios at tank farm fires and presented foam as the most suitable extinguishing agent together with the firefighting equipment most commonly used. In Part Two we look at foam concentrate proportioning…
Firefighting foam action in Wisconsin
Water contamination issues from PFAS are creating pressure on the fire service to make changes in toxic AFFF products. PFAS contamination of drinking water is threatening people’s health in many communities worldwide. Firefighters have been and continue to be placed…
Foam Exposure Committee leading PFAS Research
The Foam Exposure Committee (FEC) is leading research into PFAS chemicals found in firefighting foam and how to best protect firefighters and the environment from these harmful substances. It has recently released of fluorine testing data on firefighting foams, with…
Use of foam for firefighting in tank farms of the oil and petrochemical industry – Part 1
Tank farm fires in the oil and petrochemical industry do not occur often. When they do occur, it is with devastating consequences and negative publicity. This article will describe the typical incident scenarios and present foam as the most suitable…
Perimeter Solutions Expands Presence In The Global Fire Foam Market
Company Completes Acquisition of The Solberg Company Perimeter Solutions, one of the world’s leading producers of fire retardants, foams, and water enhancing gels for managing wildland, industrial, and municipal fires, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Solberg, the…
Class A Foam – A force multiplier in structural and wildland firefighting
As a largely misunderstood firefighting tactic, the use of foam has at times been confusing to the fire service. The result is that many municipal brigades/departments have avoided the use of foam, especially Class A foam, and have transitioned to…
PHOS-CHEK from ICL-AA – New firefighting foam for the US Air Force
The US Air Force has awarded a $6.2 million contract to replace firefighting foam used in fire vehicles with an environmentally responsible foam to reduce the risk of possible contamination of soil and groundwater. ICL Performance Products was awarded the…
Firefighting foam concentrates – the constant evolution: Part 2
The foam concentrate is a mixture of different raw materials such as solvents, salts, corrosion inhibitors and mainly surfactants. In case of synthetic products, there are two types of surfactants: hydrocarbon chain, which are primarily responsible of foaming capacity and…
Firefighting foam under fire for link to water contamination injuries
Foam caused shutdown of drinking wells at Wright-Patterson and will no longer be used at the base. Defense Department has launched a nationwide investigation. A fire suppressant foam linked to the shutdown of two drinking water wells at Wright-Patterson Air Force…
Firefighting foam concentrates – the constant evolution: Part 1
In the last decade there have been many advances in foam for firefighting. Since 2001 the multinational 3M ceased to manufacture surfactants and fluorinated AFFF foams due to the ban on PFOS (perfluorooctyl sulfonates), a flurry of development has been…
Firefighting Foam – Making Water Wetter
As a largely misunderstood firefighting tactic, the use of foam has at times been confusing to the fire service. The result is that many municipal brigades/departments have just avoided the use of foam, especially Class A foam and have transitioned…
Firefighting FoamAdvancements … Then & Now
It is often said that in order to shape the future you need to look back and understand the past. A colleague of mine recently asked: “when and what was the last great innovation in firefighting foam?” I have to…
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