In the past few weeks we have learned in conversations with several fire departments that after operations the foaming agent tanks of the vehicles were filled with a different type of foam concentrate than was previously contained in the tank. We would like to take this opportunity to point out potential problems that may arise from mixing foaming agents:
1. If foaming agents with different proportioning rates are mixed (e.g. 0.3 % and 3 %), it is no longer possible to determine which proportioning rate shows sufficient extinguishing effect for this mixture. As a result the extinguishing effect may not occur or at least be extremely delayed.
2. There is a particularly great danger in mixing foaming agents from different manufacturers. The different ingredients can react with each other. It is not uncommon that two foaming agents gel or flocculate after mixing. This can occlude lines, the proportioning system or other system technology. This creates a significant risk that the entire extinguishing system will fail during an operation. Subsequently it is very time-consuming and costly to clean or replace affected parts.
If your fire department is considering changing the foaming agent it is essential that the foaming agent tank of the fire engine be thoroughly cleaned to remove residues and adhesions of the old foam concentrate.
The One Seven team will be happy to provide you with more in-depth information on this important topic. https://www.oneseven.com/kontakt?lang=en
Comments