Firefighting Foam - History, Relevance, & the Compliance Reckoning

Firefighting Foam - History, Relevance, & the Compliance Reckoning

Presented by: Dan Olecki, PE, Veridity Fire

Firefighting foam remains the primary defense against large flammable-liquid (Class B) fires — yet the field is being reshaped by the phase-out of PFAS “forever chemicals” and by tightening testing and compliance requirements. This technical session traces foam from its protein-foam origins through the rise of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and explains why foam is still irreplaceable even as its chemistry changes.

The session examines:

• The regulatory wave now redefining the industry: the EU’s phased PFAS bans, the U.S. federal-and-state patchwork (with a focused look at New England), and the military and aviation pivot to fluorine-free foam (F3) under MIL-PRF-32725. 
• Where foam systems are installed and the common, preventable ways they fails:  proportioning drift, concentrate degradation, hardware faults, and botched AFFF-to-F3 retrofits
• How modern testing keeps building owners in compliance now that discharging PFAS foam to test is costly liability event.  The presentation details no-discharge and grab-sample verification methods, the proportioning hardware that makes them possible, and the monitoring and documentation tools that turn compliance from an annual scramble into a continuous, auditable process.

Sponsorship Opportunity: Consider becoming a drink sponsor for the networking session (register as part of the event).

Dinner: Chef’s Choice Buffet including soup, two salads, two entrées, starch, vegetable, dessert display, coffee, and tea. Please email program@sfpe-newengland.org with any dietary restrictions.

About the Speaker: