Tuesday, May 13, 2008

A New Look at Foam 

By Chris Cavette

New concentrates, hazards and proportioning systems may prompt you to consider a foam system for your apparatus....

Heat Stress 

By Holger de Vries

In 2005, Germany had its first line-of-duty-deaths while using foam; here’s what they learned....

CFD, UL Tests Combine Science, Street 

The Chicago Fire Department and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. recently designed and conducted a laboratory-based test comparing the use of water alone....

Triple Wash 

By Chris Hecht

Each of the three major components of CAF systems — water, foam and air — have issues that should be considered before making a purchase....

EVTCC Introduces Foam Systems Exam 

Fire apparatus technicians can certify their qualifications to work on foam systems by passing a new EVTCC exam....

Cascade Offers Free Foam System 

Departments that purchase a slip-on unit from Cascade Fire Equipment Company of Medford, Ore., can get a free foam system as part of a limited offer....

Foams Tested on Ethanol Spills, Fires 

The Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition sponsored scientific testing to evaluate the effectiveness of six types of foam....

Foaming the Windy City 

By Janet Wilmoth, Editorial Director

A couple months ago, I had breakfast with Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Raymond Orozco Jr. Discussion soon turned to Orozco’s efforts to upgrade Chicago’s turnout gear, train with positive-pressure ventilation and test Class A foam for fighting residential fires....

Darley Introduces New CAFS 

Darley now offers two new high-capacity compressed-air foam systems for customers with special applications....

Foam for All 

By Chris Cavette

Not all foam pumpers operate behind the fences of industrial plants. Many municipal departments now operate pumpers equipped with Class B foam systems...

No Size Fits All 

By Janet Wilmoth

As the foaming systems manager for Pierce Manufacturing, Clarence Grady knows his way around firefighting alternatives to water. He served as both a career...

Worth the SWITCH 

By Geary Roberts

What do you get when you take a dash of political savvy, mix it with a pinch of labor union cooperation, add a bunch of customer service and toss in a...

Spray & Watch 

By Darren Hutchinson

Water has always been man's best friend for battling fire. We went from bucket brigades to horse-drawn wagons to steam-driven pumpers, and now we have...

Plane Truths 

By Paul Wayne Powell

Are your aircraft rescue firefighters ready? Have your crew members received the training they deserve and require to handle the emergencies that they...

Massive Attack 

By Dominic Colletti

Compressed-air foam, a tool that evolved out of the wildland fire sector, is being adopted by municipal fire departments faster than ever before. The...

Powerful Lamp Destroys Anthrax Better Than Foam 

By Douglas Page

Government researchers have announced they have come up with a quick and safe cure for anthrax bacteria contamination. Scientists at the Oak Ridge National...

The Problems With Using Foam at High-Rise Fires 

(In Response to "My Other Hat," Oct. 30, 2003, Command Post) There are a couple of problems with using foam at high-rise fires. CAFs systems are controlled...

High-Rise Foam Solutions From Hyrpo 

Reader Response

(In Response to "My Other Hat," Oct. 30, 2003, Command Post, and subsequent post by Rodger Ricciuti, "About Using Foam at High Rise Fires.") Great questions...

Fire Had an Attitude 

Janet Wilmoth jwilmoth@primediabusiness.com

That was the headline in the Chicago Tribune the week after six people died from smoke inhalation in the Cook County Administration building in Chicago....

About Using Foam in High-Rise Fires 

Rodger Ricciuti, Pittsburg, Pa.

I just read your editorial regarding the recent Chicago office building fire and your comments about CAFS possibly being effective in high-rise operations......

At the Foam Forefront 

Firefighting alternatives to water have come a long way over the years, and Clarence Grady has been with them much of the way....

Class Warfare: Is A Better Than B? Does It Matter? 

Mitch Hubert, Research and Development, Ansul Inc., Marinette, Wis.

Class A and Class B foams both produce foam. From the standpoint of formulating for performance on these two types of fuels, that is where the similarity...

Foam follows function 

Douglas Eaton, Marketing and Sales Director, NBC Team Ltd., Fort Erie, Ont.

A Canadian military effort to effectively tackle decontamination of CBRN incidents shows that the white stuff is for more than fighting fires....

ARFFs evolve as air travel changes 

Chris Cavette, Senior Editor

Expanding airports, increased air travel, larger aircraft and new FAA requirements mean fire departments must re-evaluate their aircraft rescue and firefighting needs....

Bubbles beat water 

Chris Cavette, Senior Editor

The members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department knew they had a firefighting winner in compressed-air foam, but they only had a string of anecdotes to prove it. In a quest for hard numbers, the LACFD conducted a series of tests and released the results to FIRE CHIEF....

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