The Dangers of AFFF Firefighting Foam - How It's Ruining Families
AFFF represents “aqueous film-forming foam.” It's a kind of Firefighting Foam that's most commonly used 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 example wood or paper.
AFFF functions by forming a slim layer of water on top 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 assist the water to spread easier and evenly over the surface of the liquid.
How AFFF Works ● Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is a form 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 understand how AFFF works, it's first important to understand how fire works. When a fire burns, it will so because three elements exist: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The oxygen supplies the air essential 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 three elements is removed, the fire should go out. This is where AFFF comes in. When applied to a fire, AFFF forms a thin 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 ensure it is 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 example diesel fuel or crude oil. Without surfactants, these kinds 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 has been filed in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. The product has been employed 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 should have known that the chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam were dangerous and caused health conditions, but they didn't warn the general public or take steps to remove 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 linked to cancer, along with, other health problems. The plaintiffs, in cases like this, are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They're also seeking to 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 thin layer of water on top 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.