AFFF

Firefighter Coats & Helmets Hanging in a Row

Study Confirms Skin as an Exposure Pathway for PFAS in Firefighting Foam

A new study on PFAS, the toxic compound in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), confirmed that dermal absorption is a viable and likely exposure pathway for firefighters. The active ingredients in foam suppressants are PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Fluorine and…

Fire turnout coats and helmets hang in a row on hooks

Then and Now: How Forever Chemicals Changed Firefighting

Forever chemicals profoundly affected firefighting, and decades later these compounds continue to influence the industry, only this time for the better. When manufacturers added hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to fire suppressants and clothing, they introduced toxins into this…

Firefighter stands by firetruck speaking on walkie talkie

Beyond the Symptoms: The Impact of AFFF Exposure

The symptoms from Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) exposure are debilitating, but the impact of using these suppressants stretches beyond physical ailments. The timeline of AFFF use began with military firefighters in the 1960s, and soon enough civilian departments and airports…

Firefighters spraying AFFF

How AFFF Manufacturers Marketed to Fire Departments

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) manufacturers fooled fire departments for years with marketing tactics that emphasized the foam’s benefits instead of its hazardous active ingredients. The glossy pages of fire industry magazines featured fire foam on every other page, applauding its…

Female firefighter using foam

How Changing to Alternative Foams Will Change Firefighting Tactics

Waving goodbye to aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) firefighting techniques and welcoming alternative methods that use safer concentrates is a long-overdue change. Though this isn’t the first update for firefighting tactics, this is one of the most significant efforts toward improving…

Firefighter stands by firetruck speaking on walkie talkie

How Safety Data Sheets for AFFF Misled Firefighters

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for AFFF have misled firefighters from the start, revealing warnings for eye and skin irritation, but not for serious health risks. An SDS, formerly MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), serves one purpose: to provide information about…

Firefighters spraying AFFF

How Much Exposure to AFFF Is Safe?

Even as the hazards of PFAS (the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in AFFF) became hot topics at manufacturing headquarters, the public was not warned of the hazards associated with PFAS exposure. Firefighters who reflect on the early days of AFFF…

Fireman standing confident holding helmet and wearing firefighter turnouts. Portrait of a fireman with dark background with smoke and blue light.

AFFF Terms and Acronyms: What Do They Mean?

Fire foam acronyms hold a lot more meaning than what’s offered at face value, especially to firefighters and their families suffering the effects of exposure. Countless service members and firefighters spent their careers reciting acronyms for aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)…

Why Changing From C8 to C6 Foam Didn’t Improve Firefighter Safety

The chemical backbones of C8 versus C6 fire foams are not so different that choosing one over the other drastically improved firefighting safety. C8, otherwise known as ‘legacy’ aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), was used by the fire industry to extinguish…

Firefighter carrying a rolled fire hose

FAQs: Science-Based Answers to Common Questions About AFFF

Gathering facts about aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is necessary to understand the current health and environmental crisis caused by these fire suppressants. Anyone diagnosed with a disease or cancer following a career in firefighting or the military should know the…