Everything You Need to Know About AFFF Firefighting Foam
Everything You Need to Know About AFFF Firefighting Foam
Blog Article
AFFF represents “aqueous film-forming foam.” It's a type of Firefighting Foam that is most commonly utilized by firefighters to extinguish Class B and Class A fires. Class B fires are those who involve flammable liquids, such as for example gasoline, oil, or paint, while Class A fires are the ones that involve combustible materials, such as for example wood or paper.
AFFF functions by forming a thin layer of water on the surface of the burning liquid, which effectively smothers the fire and prevents it from spreading. Additionally, AFFF contains surfactants—substances that reduce the top tension of water—that really help the water to spread easier and evenly over the outer lining of the liquid.
How AFFF Works
● Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a type of firefighting foam that is most commonly utilized by firefighters to extinguish Class B and Class A fires. Class A fires are those 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's first very important to know the way fire works. Whenever a fire burns, it does so because three elements exist: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The oxygen supplies the air required for combustion, while the heat 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 applied to a fire, AFFF forms a slim layer of water on the surface 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 allow it to be easier and more uniform for water to spread across a liquid's surface.
● Surfactants are especially important when fighting fires involving liquids with high surface tensions, such as for instance diesel fuel or crude oil. Without surfactants, these kinds of liquids would repel water, making it hard for firefighters to extinguish them.
AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
AFFF Firefighting foam lawsuit is really a class action lawsuit that was filed in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. This product has been used by the U.S. Military, along with many fire departments over the country.
● The principal allegations in the lawsuit are that the firms knew or must have known that the chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam were dangerous and caused health problems, however they failed to warn people or take steps to eliminate the chemicals from the product.
● The chemicals at issue, in cases like this, are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
● These chemicals have already been connected to cancer, in addition to, 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 against 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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