At an incident, is it permissible to apply two different types of low expansion finished firefighting foams simultaneously ?
Yes. If necessary due to a lack of sufficient quantities of the most correct type to complete extinguishment i.e. Fluoroprotein and Alcohol (Polydol).
- Hi-Ex is not to be used in conjunction with Low Expansion Foam
What Low expansion foam does the Dept use?
1) Fluoroprotein
2) Alcohol Resistant Fluoroprotein (Fluoropolydol)
3) Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
What are the 4 primary methods of extinguishment?
1) Smothering
2) Suppressing
3) Seperates
4) Cools
What foam is extremely corrosive to brass, aluminum, and plain steel and must not be poured into any long stem containers that are not made of stainless steel or plastic?
Fluoropolydol
What foam permits operating forces to enter the blanket area with caution for rescue, search, and overhauling?
Fluoroprotein
What is the most widely used foam by the FDNY?
Fluoroprotein
Which foam is the superior fire extinguishing concentrate for both hydrocarbon fuels (gasoline, fuel oils, etc) as well as polar solvents (alcohols, ketones, etc)?
Alcohol Resistant Fluoroprotein Foam (Fluoropolydol)
- It Is used at 3% rate for hydrocarbons and 6% rate for polar solvents
What is he preferred foam to use if entry into a pool of fuel must be made?
Fluoropolydol. Foam shall be applied continuously when members enter foam blanket
Alcohol Resistant Aqueouos Film Forming Foam (ARAFFF) or (ATC):
- used to combat fires in polar solvent or alcohol type flammable liquids
- Works well on Reformulated Gasoline
- can be used through fog nozzle
- Poor draining that provides poor flashback and burn-back resistance
- Not suitable for cold weather use (45 degrees)
- FDNY does not use but very common in the oil industry and possibility encountered in mutual aid
Fluoroprotein Color Code?
Brown
Alcohol color code?
Green
Hi-Expansion color code?
Yellow
AFFF color code?
Black
Can you mix different concentrates?
Must be avoided at all costs
Premixed solutions provide little additional benefits and should be restricted to the following conditions:
1) Premixing AFFF to hand held extinguishers
2) The Premixing of Fluoroprotein foam solution can be accomplished by dumping Three 5 gallon cans of concentrate into a 500-Gallon booster tank. This would produce a 3% solution. This should be used only when a foam eductor cannot be placed into operation. The pumper being used SHoULD NOT be connected to a hydrant (back pressure)
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
- Use LIMITED TO 2 1/2 GALLON extinguisher
- Spreads rapidly over surface, leading to faster
knockdown than protein based foam - Can be used through standard fog nozzle
- Poor resistance to flashback or burn-back
- Use restricted to hydrocarbon fuels
- Should not be used for sub-surface injection
- Has trouble sealing against hot metal
- Wind, water spray and extended pre-burn times affect the stability of the blanket
Alcohol Resistant Fluoroprotein Foam (Fluoropolydol):
- Produces slow drainage foam blanket with superior flashback and burn-back resistance (like Fluoroprotein)
- Has excellent fuel shedding ability and provides good sealing against hot metal surfaces such as tank sides
