[FOAM -- IT'S ALL ABOUT WATER]{.underline}

       [ESSENTIALS FOR ORGANIZING A MUTUAL AID FOAM PROGRAM]{.underline}

[REFERENCES]{.underline}

> NFPA 11 STANDARD FOR LOW-, MEDIUM-, AND HIGH-EXPANSION FOAM 2005
> EDITION
>
> NFPA 16 STANDARD FOR THE INSTALLATION OF DELUGE FOAM -- WATER
> SPRINKLER AND FOAM \-- WATER SPRAY SYSTEMS---2003 EDITION
>
> NFPA 30 FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS CODE- 2000 EDITION

                       UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES INC. DIRECTORY -- FIRE
                  PROTECTION EQUIPMENT 2007-- LISTINGS AND           
                  CLASSIFICATIONS---2007

                         AFFF RESPONSE AND COMMUNITY MUTUAL AID
AGREEMENTS

                                                         

          30^th^ ANNUAL AIRPORT CONFERENCE

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

MARCH 6 -- MARCH 8^th^, 2007

HERSHEY, PA

WILLIAM C. TAMBURRO, Sr. CFPS -- PRESIDENT

THE TAMBURRO GROUP INC

WEST CHESTER, PA

ORGANIZING A MUTUAL AID FOAM PROGRAM BEGINS WITH RECOGNIZING AND
RECORDING DETAILS OF VARIOUS FLAMMABLE / COMBUSTIBLE HAZARDS THAT ARE
LOCATED WITHIN THE JURISDICTIONAL AREA. THE AREA IS TO BE TREATED AS ONE
HUGE POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS SITE. DEVELOP FOAM REQUIREMENTS BASED UPON THE
SINGLE WORSE HAZARD IN THE AREA.

           FOLLOWING ARE SOME TYPICAL HAZARDOUS SITES. THE LIST IS FAR
FROM           COMPLETE:

-   BULK STORAGE TANK FARMS---PETROLEUM / CHEMICAL

-   TANK TRUCK LOADING / UNLOADING RACKS

-   TANK TRUCK OVER THE ROAD TRAFFIC

-   WAREHOUSES STORING VARIOUS SIZE CONTAINERS OF

PETROLEUM / CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL\
PRODUCTS

-   RAILROAD TANK CAR / LOADING / UNLOADING RACKS

-   MARINE DOCKS

-   BUILDING HEATING FUEL OIL TANKS---ABOVE / BELOW

> GROUND

-   BUILDING HEATING FUEL OIL TANKS / TANK TRUCK

> UNLOADING SITE

-   INDUSTRIAL RUG CLEANING AND RECLAIMATION PLANTS

-   MUNICIPAL WASTE DISPOSAL PLANTS

-   TIRE DUMP SITES

-   SPILL AREAS / DIKED / NON-DIKED

-   AIRCRAFT HANGARS / MAINTENANCE AREAS / SHOPS

THE ABOVE REFERENCE MATERIAL WILL ASSIST THE ORGANIZERS.

WHEN RESPONDING TO A CLASS "A" TYPE FIRE, AN EVALUATION IS MADE TO
DETERMINE THE ESSENTIALS REQUIRED TO GAIN TOTAL EXTINGUISHMENT. THE
PROCEDURE IS UNCHANGED WHEN CONFRONTED WITH A PETROLEUM / CHEMICAL
SITUATION USING FOAM.

THE REFERENCED FAA PAPER'S OPENING STATEMENT, PROVIDES AN UNDERSTANDING
AS TO WHY PLAIN WATER IS UNSATISFACTORY FOR THE CURRENT PURPOSE.
HOWEVER, THE ADDITION OF A FOAM CONCENTRATE TO THE WATER, CONVERTS IT TO
A USEFUL PURPOSE. EACH GENERATED FOAM BUBBLE CONTAINS MORE THAN
[90%]{.underline} WATER, IN THE FORM OF FOAM SOLUTION. THE FOAM BUBBLE
IS TRANSPORTING FOAM SOLUTION (WATER-FOAM CONCENTRATE MIXTURE) TO THE
HAZARD. THE WATER CONTENT BEGINS ITS COOLING / EXTINGUISHING PROCESS.

[FOAM EXTINGUISHMENT REQUIRES THREE ESSENTIALS, I.E;]{.underline}

*[CONTROL, EXTINGUISHMENT AND NO-REIGNITION.]{.underline}*

THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED WHEN A MINIMUM FOAM SOLUTION GPM PER SQUARE FOOT,
IS APPLIED OVER THE ENTIRE FUEL SURFACE. THE PROCESS IS KNOWN AS THE
"FOAM SOLUTION APPLICATION RATE".

WHEN SURVEYING HAZARDOUS SITES, RECORD LOCATIONS FOR WATER SOURCES.
DETERMINE THE QUANTITY PUMPERS REQUIRED TO FLOW THE WATER TO THE FOAM
OPERATION SITE. NURSE TRAILERS, TOTE TANKS, DRUMS AND PAILS ARE SOURCES
FOR FOAM CONCENTRATE SUPPLY. DETERMINE THE DESPOSAL SITE FOR EMPTY
CONAINERS.

[NOTES:]{.underline} POLAR SOLVENTS (WATER SOLUBLE) ARE MORE DISTRUCTIVE
TO FOAM BLANKETS THAN HYDROCARBONS. FOAM SOLUTION APPLICATION RATES ARE
ESTABLISHED BY APPROVAL AGENCIES, UL, USCG AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE
FACTORS AFFECTING THESE RATES INCLUDE: FOAM CONCENTRATE TYPE, POLAR
SOLVENT OR HYDROCARBON FUELS AND METHOD OF FOAM APPLICATION. CONSULT
APPROPRIATE APPROVAL AGENCY AND/OR FOAM CONCENTRATE MANUFACTURER FOR
RATES.

[TEST CASE:]{.underline} SPILL AREA INVOLVING GASOLINE. ESTIMATED AREA
5,000 SQ FT. FOAM CONCENTRATE 3% AFFF, PORTABLE APPLICATION,
CONSERVATIVE FOAM SOLUTION APPLICATION RATE - 0.2 GPM / SQ. FT. X 5,000
SQ. FT. = 1,000 GPM FOAM SOLUTION X 3% = 30 GPM FOAM CONCENTRATE X 15
MINUTES MINIMUM OPERATING TIME = 450 GALLONS FOAM CONCENTRATE REQUIRED.

[EVALUATION OF FIXED FOAM SYSTEMS]{.underline}

1.  MUST COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE NFPA STANDARDS #11, #16 OR #30.

2.  NFPA #11, CHAPTERS #10 & #11, (*[READ BOTH CHAPTERS]{.underline}*)
    RECOMMEND AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, TEST AND MAINTENANCE BY A QUALIFIED
    EXPERIENCED PERSON. THE INSTALLATION IS A FOAM SYSTEM AND TESTED AS
    SUCH. RECEIVE A COPY OF THE REPORT. CORRECT PROBLEM AREAS.

3.  OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE WALL MOUNTED NEAR THE SYSTEM SITE
    WITH A SECOND COPY ON FILE. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR NUMEROUS OBVIOUS
    REASONS.

4.  OBTAIN THE MANUFACTURER'S OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL.

5.  ANNUALLY FOAM CONCENTRATE SHALL BE CHEMICALLY ANALYZED BY A
    QUALIFIED AND RECOGNIZED LABORATORY. STORED FOAM CONCENTRATE SHALL
    MEET DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.

6.  LOCAL FIRE CODES SHOULD MANDATE NOTIFICATION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION
    AND/OR MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING FOAM SYSTEMS. CONE ROOF TANKS
    USUALLY CONTAIN HYDROCARBON COMBUSTIBLE PRODUCTS.

7.  CONVERSION OF THE TANK TO AN INTERNAL FLOATING ROOF, INDICATES A
    STORED PRODUCT CHANGE. *[WILL]{.underline}* THE EXISTING FOAM SYSTEM
    SUPPORT THE MODIFICATION? *[NOTE]{.underline}* GASOLINE BLENDED WITH
    A POLAR SOLVENT REQUIRES SPECIAL CONSIDERATION REGARDING A
    RECOMMENDED FOAM CONCENTRATE. ITS BLENDING PROCESS PERFORMED AT
    TRUCK RACK RECEIVING THE POLAR SOLVENT FROM A DEDICATED STORAGE T

8.  IF A STORAGE TANK AND DIKE, SIMULTANEOUSLY ON FIRE, EXTINGUISH THE
    DIKE FIRE FIRST TO MINIMIZE DIKE'S HARDWARE DAMAGE AND REDUCE
    RELEASE OF PRODUCT. PROCEED WITH TANK EXTINGUISHMENT.

9.  COOLING WATER APPLIED TO AN UNIGNITED TANK, IN THE HOT ZONE, SHOULD
    BE APPROACHED WITH CAUTION. DETERMINE THE TANK'S INTERNAL PRODUCT
    HEIGHT, AS COMPARED TO THE ACCUMMULATED WATER HEIGHT IN ITS DIKE. IF
    THE PRODUCT HEIGHT IS LESS THAN THE DIKE'S WATER HEIGHT, THE TANK
    MAY SEPARATE FROM ITS FOUNDATION.

WILLIAM C. TAMBURRO, Sr. CFPS

THE TAMBURRO GROUP INC

WEST CHESTER, PA