Firefighting Foam

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Firefighting Foam
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WHY USE FOAM????

• MANY AGENTS CAN EXTINGUISH A CLASS B FIRE,
  HOWEVER, FOAM PROVIDES
• SUPPRESSION OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS
• PREVENTION OF FUEL IGNITION, OR RE-IGNITION
• POST FIRE SECURITY

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TYPES OF INCIDENTS THAT MAY REQUIRE FOAM

• FUEL SPILLS (VEHICLE/AIRCRAFT)
• CHEMICAL SPILLS PAINT, MOTOR OIL, LAQUER THINNER,
  AND OTHER FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS FOUND IN RETAIL
  STORES

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How Firefighting Foam works!

• SEPARATES
• CREATES A BARRIER BETWEEN THE FUEL AND THE FIRE

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COOLS

• LOWERS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE FUEL AND ADJACENT
  SURFACES

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SMOTHERS

• SUPPRESSES THE RELEASE OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS

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PENETRATES

• LOWERS THE SURFACE TENSION OF WATER AND ALLOWS IT
  TO PENETRATE DEEP-SEATED FIRES

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CLASS B FIRESTWO BASIC CATEGORIES

• HYDROCARBON FUELS
• CRUDE OIL
• FUEL OIL
• GASOLINE
• BENZINE
• NAPHTHA
• JET FUEL
• KEROSENE

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POLAR SOLVENTS

• ALCOHOLS
• ACETONE
• LAQUER THINNER
• KETONES
• ESTERS
• ACIDS
• HYDROPHILIC (MIX WITH WATER)

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FOAM TERMINOLOGY

• FOAM CONCENTRATE
• FOAM PROPORTIONER
• FOAM SOLUTION
• FOAM

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FOAM CONCENTRATE

• MUST MATCH FUEL TO WHICH THEY ARE APPLIED
• CLASS A-WILDLAND/STRUCTURAL
• CLASS B-FLAMMABLE/COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS

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AFFF

• APPLIED USING STANDARD FOG NOZZLE
• AIR ASPIRATING FOAM NOZZLE
• MAXIMUM EXPANSION
• MATCH PROPORTIONER WITH PERCENTAGE NUMBER ON
  CONTAINER

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FOAM PROPORTIONING

• INDUCTION
• INJECTION
• BATCH MIXING
• PREMIXING

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OPERATION E2805

• SELECT FOAM
• OPEN WATER VALVE
• CLOSE BYPASS VALVE
• OPEN FOAM VALVE
• SET PUMP DISCHARGE PRESSURE TO 200 PSI
• FRONT CROSSLAY

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OPERATION E2808

• SELECT FOAM
• OPEN WATER VALVE
• OPEN EDUCTOR VALVE
• OPEN FOAM VALVE
• SET PUMP DISCHARGE PRESSURE TO 200 PSI
• 1 CROSSLAY

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OPERATION E2812

• SELECT FOAM
• PULL WATER HANDLE
• PULL EDUCTOR HANDLE
• PULL FOAM HANDLE
• SET PUMP TO 200 PSI

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FLUSH!FLUSH!FLUSH!

• REDUCE PRESSURE TO 100 PSI
• PULL FLUSH HANDLE
• ROTATE FOAM SELECTOR
• FLUSH FOR 3 MINUTES

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IN-LINE EDUCTOR OPERATION
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VENTURI PRINCIPLE

• AS WATER AT HIGH PRESSURE PASSES THROUGH A
  RESTRICTED OPENING, IT CREATES A LOW-PRESSURE
  AREA ON THE OUTLET SIDE OF THE EDUCTOR.THIS LOW
  PRESSURE AREA CREATES SUCTION BECOUSE OF THE
  VENTURI EFFECT.THE EDUCTOR PICKUP TUBE IS
  CONNECTED TO THE EDUCTOR AT THIS LOW PRESSURE
  POINT.

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VENTURI PRINCIPLE CONT.

• A PICKUP TUBE SUBMERGED IN THE FOAM
  CONCENTRATE DRAWS CONCENTRATE INTO THE WATER
  STREAM, CREATING A FOAM WATER SOLUTION.

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IN LINE EDUCTOR OPERATION

• 1 3/4 HANDLINE MUST NOT EXCEED
• 150 FROM THE EDUCTOR.
• APPLIES TO ANY SETTING ON EDUCTOR.
• NO KINKS IN HANDLINE.
• NOZZLE BALE OPEN FULLY.
• DO NOT INSERT PICKUP TUBE INTO FOAM CONCENTRATE
  UNTIL YOU ACHIEVE 200 PSI.
• FLUSH EDUCTOR WITH FRESH WATER!!!!

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IN LINE EDUCTORSLOCATION

• E2805 PUMP OP COMPARTMENT
• E2812 PUMP OP COMPARTMENT

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FOAM APPLICATION TECHNIQUES

• ROLL-ON
• BANK-DOWN
• RAIN-DOWN

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DO NOT PLUNGE!!!!!
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ROLL ON
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BANK DOWN
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RAIN DOWN
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HEALTH RISKS

• MILD IRRITANT (SKIN/EYES)
• VAPORS MAY BE HARMFUL IF INGESTED OR INHALED

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

• IN A WATERWAY, THE REDUCTION IN OXYGEN CAN CAUSE
  DAMAGE BY KILLING FISH AN OTHER AQUATIC CREATURES

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SAFETY!!!!!!!

• PPE
• SCBA
• DONT TURN YOUR BACK
• SHUFFLE YOUR FEET
• RE-APPLY OFTEN
• SAFETY OFFICER
• BACKUP LINES
• WIND DIRECTION

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MAINTENANCE

• FLUSH ALL DEVICES AND HANDLINES WITH FRESH WATER
  FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE MINUTES!!!!!
• RE-SUPPLY FOAM TANKS ASAP.