AFFF Firefighting Foam: All That You Need to Know
AFFF Firefighting Foam: All That You Need to Know
Blog Article
AFFF stands for “aqueous film-forming foam.” It is a kind of Firefighting Foam that's most commonly utilized by firefighters to extinguish Class B and Class A fires. Class B fires are those that involve flammable liquids, such as for example gasoline, oil, or paint, while Class A fires are those who involve combustible materials, such as for instance wood or paper.
AFFF functions by forming a thin layer of water at first glance of the burning liquid, which effectively smothers the fire and prevents it from spreading. Additionally, AFFF contains surfactants—substances that reduce the surface tension of water—that really help the water to spread more easily and evenly over the top of the liquid.
How AFFF Works
● Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a type of firefighting foam that's most commonly employed by firefighters to extinguish Class B and Class A fires. Class A fires are the ones that involve combustible materials like wood or paper, while Class B fires involve flammable liquids like paint, oil, or gasoline.
● To know the way AFFF works, it is first important to know how fire works. Whenever a fire burns, it does so because three elements are present: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The oxygen offers the air necessary for combustion, while the warmth causes the fuel to ignite. Once ignited, the fuel begins to burn, releasing energy in the proper execution of heat and light.
● If one of these brilliant three elements is removed, the fire should go out. This really is where AFFF comes in. When put on a fire, AFFF forms a slim layer of water on top of the burning liquid. This effectively smothers the fire and prevents it from spreading. Surfactants, which lower water's surface tension, are another ingredient in AFFF. They make it easier and more uniform for water to spread across a liquid's surface.
● Surfactants are specially important when fighting fires involving liquids with high surface tensions, such as for instance diesel fuel or crude oil. Without surfactants, these types of liquids would repel water, rendering it difficult for firefighters to extinguish them.
AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
AFFF Firefighting foam lawsuit is just a class action lawsuit that has been filed in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. This device has been employed by the U.S. Military, as well as many fire departments across the country.
● The primary allegations in the lawsuit are that the companies knew or must have known that the chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam were dangerous and caused health problems, however they failed to warn the general public or take steps to remove the chemicals from the product.
● The chemicals at issue, in this case, are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
● These chemicals have already been connected to cancer, along with, other health problems. The plaintiffs, in cases like this, are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are also seeking to have the companies remove these chemicals from AFFF firefighting foam and other products.
Conclusion:
Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is an essential tool in the fight fires. By forming a thin layer of water on the surface of burning liquids, it effectively smothers flames and prevents them from spreading. Additionally, its surfactant content helps water to spread more evenly over surfaces with high surface tensions.
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