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dirty old man
08-04-2005, 07:12 AM
I was watching CNN yesterday during the Toronto plane crash. Their airport firedept got there within minutes and surrounded the burning plane. However, when ever they sprayed the white stuff (foam?) on fire, they only sprayed for 1 or 2 seconds then cut it off. When the fire flared up again, they sprayed for 1 or 2 seconds again. Eventually, the plane was gutted. I saw this recently on a chemical fire as well, very short bursts of the foam. Whats the story with this?

Froggystyle
08-04-2005, 09:08 AM
I was watching CNN yesterday during the Toronto plane crash. Their airport firedept got there within minutes and surrounded the burning plane. However, when ever they sprayed the white stuff (foam?) on fire, they only sprayed for 1 or 2 seconds then cut it off. When the fire flared up again, they sprayed for 1 or 2 seconds again. Eventually, the plane was gutted. I saw this recently on a chemical fire as well, very short bursts of the foam. Whats the story with this?
The foam (AFFF or Aqueous film forming foam) is designed to smother a fire. In the case of a gasoline fire, you want to create a barrier on top of it that will extinguish the flame, or more specifically to starve it of oxygen. What you don't want to do is displace the gasoline somewhere else, which it being lighter than water, it will run anywhere you have runoff. So, you use quick bursts of it at a high concentration and go from there. It will eventually break down in the heat and turn back into the water you are trying to keep from running off, so you need to be careful with quantity.
Not a firefighter.. but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. ;)
(Actually, in what seems to be a past life I was a firefighter. )

a catered life
08-04-2005, 09:10 AM
The foam (AFFF or Aqueous film forming foam) is designed to smother a fire. In the case of a gasoline fire, you want to create a barrier on top of it that will extinguish the flame, or more specifically to starve it of oxygen. What you don't want to do is displace the gasoline somewhere else, which it being lighter than water, it will run anywhere you have runoff. So, you use quick bursts of it at a high concentration and go from there. It will eventually break down in the heat and turn back into the water you are trying to keep from running off, so you need to be careful with quantity.
Not a firefighter.. but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. ;)
(Actually, in what seems to be a past life I was a firefighter. )
yea what he said-------we both stayed at a holiday express last night :D

dirty old man
08-04-2005, 09:21 AM
thanks guys, that clears it up for me

THATJEFFGUY
08-04-2005, 10:11 AM
and interestingly enough...it's not actually the foam that smothers the fire, it's the cool air inside the foam bubbles that release and cools the fire.

Throttle
08-04-2005, 10:50 AM
Dont play with foam.... you may get burned.

Supultlbich
08-04-2005, 03:39 PM
ya, what he said!!!

Froggystyle
08-04-2005, 03:45 PM
and interestingly enough...it's not actually the foam that smothers the fire, it's the cool air inside the foam bubbles that release and cools the fire.
Kindof, but not on an AFFF type, which is what I think they used in that one...