AFFF represents “aqueous film-forming foam.” It's a type of Firefighting Foam that's most commonly employed 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 works 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 outer lining tension of water—which help the water to spread quicker and evenly over the outer lining of the liquid.
How AFFF Works
● Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a form of firefighting foam that's most commonly used by firefighters to extinguish Class B and Class A fires. Class A fires are those who involve combustible materials like wood or paper, while Class B fires involve flammable liquids like paint, oil, or gasoline.
● To know how AFFF works, it's first very important to know how fire works. When a fire burns, it does so because three elements are present: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The oxygen offers the air essential for combustion, while the warmth causes the fuel to ignite. Once ignited, the fuel begins to burn, releasing energy in the form of heat and light.
● If one of these three elements is removed, the fire should go out. This is where AFFF comes in. When placed on 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 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 kinds of liquids would repel water, making it difficult for firefighters to extinguish them.
AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
AFFF Firefighting foam lawsuit is a class action lawsuit which was filed in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. This system has been employed by the U.S. Military, along with many fire departments across the country.
● The principal 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 conditions, nevertheless they didn't warn the general public or take steps to eliminate the chemicals from the product.
● The chemicals at issue, in this instance, are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
● These chemicals have now been connected to cancer, as well as, other health problems. The plaintiffs, in this case, are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They're also seeking to really have the companies remove these chemicals from AFFF firefighting foam and other products.
Conclusion:
Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is an important tool in the fight against fires. By forming a slim 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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