Foam in dwellings

Does your department use foam in structural firefighting? One of my departments use foam in a lean mixture (about 1 percent) when fighting a room and contents/limited damage structure fire. I have noticed faster knockdown speeds, and less rekindles. While this is expensive I really think it limits property damage. I have seen CAFS in operation, but have seen very little success, and a lot of mess. Also in cold temperatures I have seen even less success with CAFS. What does your department use if anything, and whats your opinion?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on November 23, 2007 at 5:05pm
We use Class A Plus and through our CAFS system we run about 0.3% on structure fires....and have drastically reduced our water usage...have been keeping track....one house had a bedroom involved and we used 92 gallons of water....and then we had a log cabin 2 story one end fully involved and we used 57 gallons of water and that includes the overhaul too....Straight tips work really well in laying it in....just remember its an indirect attack and you either bank it in or roll it in......works great...espesially where water supply is an issue...........Thanks and stay safe out ther............Paul
Permalink Reply by T.J. on September 13, 2008 at 4:18am
We use foam in overhaul and only where its needed like in the ceilings and some hot spots and its been great for use, in less rekindles. We dont use foam for an initial attack though.
Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on September 14, 2008 at 6:07pm
Same here, foam only during overhaul when the occasion demands.
Permalink Reply by Justin Buck on September 14, 2008 at 6:11pm
we have a cafs on our resuce but i never seen it in use
Permalink Reply by rfdjumper on September 14, 2008 at 6:14pm
We carry foam, though I haven't used it yet with the department. Though I have heard of the time they dusted off the high expansion foam generator for a real deep seated vault fire in an underground sub basement.
Permalink Reply by Bull on September 14, 2008 at 7:10pm
We have a FoamPro intrigated in our engine for Class A. We have ours set at .5 and it gives us plenty for just a typical house/structure fire. Our dial dont even go past 1%. If its fully engulfed we will use just water till we get a knockdown. We live in a very rural area, and it helps tremendously on the amount of water needed. We have had excellent results with car fires as well. If you dont have a CAFS, you can get an airator tip for your nozzles. We havent done this, but it is available.
Permalink Reply by Tony P on September 15, 2008 at 8:46am
I'm intrigued by the differing amounts people are using. If using a normal branch (nozzle to a lot of you) then all you're using the foam for is a wetting agent, to enable the water to soak into the fuel better. In that case, 0.1% to 0.3% is all you need to use. If using a foam branch (nozzle) then use more to get the white stuff showing - but you never need more than 1.0%, any higher is simply wasting concentrate.

In my Brigade we don't use A Class for structure fires - except right at the end of overhaul. As for it causing less damage if used for knock-down, with our house construction materials it causes more damage. The plasterboard sheets soften quickly and fall straight off the studs and rafters..
Permalink Reply by Sonny Covic on September 19, 2008 at 1:25pm
I find it virtually insignificant if you use foam on a room and contents fire or not. The fact your using foam should not make a difference. Remember, foam functions by decreasing the cohesiveness of water, making its ability to penetrate certain surfaces easier. Think about the last fire or live burn you went to. Just about as soon as you opened up the line, the fire was out in about a minute. On a room and contents fire, for what Im guessing is the usual materials actually burning, you really shouldnt see much of a difference. I can see how if the room was fully involved and there were lots of garbage like clothes, papers, and the like, the foam would have been beneficial to prevent rekindles. What type of foam were you using? Straight class A? AFFF?

Good luck with your foaming!
Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on October 19, 2012 at 12:10pm

We use FireAde2000 a multipurpose foaming agent good for Class A and Class B fires.  Depending on which one of my departments you are talking about we mix it at .3 to .5% for Class A and either  3 or 6% depending on the flammable liquid we are dealing with.

Permalink Reply by capcityff on October 19, 2012 at 5:14pm

We don't use foam and I don't seeing us switching to it any time soon.  Too expensive.  Including our reserve engines and those at the fire academy and shop we probably have about 60 fire engines.  Never had a fire not go out so I think we are doing okay.  : )

Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on October 19, 2012 at 6:52pm

Well capcityff, I don't see my career FD ever having the staffing and apparatus you do, and definitely neither of the 2 POC FDs I am on having those resources either. :)

Out on the rural where water is a premium anything that stretches that water's efficiency is a good tool for us to utilize.  Further I have used it to "Paint" rafters and trusses that have been charred to help ensure no rekindle.

Permalink Reply by Derek J Sinesi on October 19, 2012 at 10:49pm

We carry foam;

but in 11 years the only thing we have used it on is a silo fire.

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