AFFF stands for “aqueous film-forming foam.” It's 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 instance gasoline, oil, or paint, while Class A fires are those who involve combustible materials, such as for example wood or paper.
AFFF functions forming a slim 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 top tension of water—that really help the water to spread quicker and evenly over the surface of the liquid.
How AFFF Works
● Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a kind of firefighting foam that is most commonly employed 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 how AFFF works, it's first vital that you know the way fire works. When a fire burns, it does so because three elements exist: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The oxygen offers the air necessary 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 put on a fire, AFFF forms a slim layer of water at first glance 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 specially important when fighting fires involving liquids with high surface tensions, such as diesel fuel or crude oil. Without surfactants, these kind of liquids would repel water, which makes it problematic for firefighters to extinguish them.
AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
AFFF Firefighting foam lawsuit is just 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 throughout the country.
● The principal allegations in the lawsuit are that the companies knew or needs to have known that the chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam were dangerous and caused health conditions, but they didn't warn the public or take steps to remove the chemicals from the product.
● The chemicals at issue, in cases like this, are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
● These chemicals have now been linked to cancer, along with, other health problems. The plaintiffs, in cases like this, are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are also seeking to really have the companies remove these chemicals from AFFF firefighting foam and other products.
Conclusion:
Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a significant tool in the fight against fires. By forming a slim layer of water at first glance 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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