NOFOAM KIT - AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIRE FIGHTING (ARFF) VEHICLE
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| Overview: | The Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting
(ARFF) vehicle is currently a main line of defense at shore-based airfield
facilities. These vehicles must be periodically tested, used for training,
and maintained to provide for appropriate operational readiness. The
vehicles use an Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) for fire suppression.
Despite its wide use and effectiveness for firefighting, AFFF poses an
environmental risk because of its resistance to biodegradation, its
toxicity, and its high Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD). In addition, AFFF has been prohibited for discharge to the
ground and treatment plants at many facilities due to its non-biodegradable
nature, its extreme foaming capacity, and its tendency to upset biological
treatment systems. The combination of these issues has created a conflict
of needs with regard to meeting operational requirements in the protection
of life and property and the stewardship of the environment.
A NoFoam kit has been developed and demonstrated that replaces AFFF with a benign, biodegradable dye/water mixture that eliminates the need to release AFFF for operational maintenance and routine checks. The use of the kit produces a waste stream that can be assimilated by natural systems or can be treated easily at treatment plants, thus producing a 100 percent reduction in the problematic AFFF wastewater stream. (Typically, the amount of AFFF wastewater generated ranges from 500 to 900 gallons per vehicle per test). The NoFoam Kit has been demonstrated as a
retrofit to ARFF vehicles models CF4000L (Amertek) and P-19 (Oshkosh). In
the cab of the vehicle, the fire fighter simply pushes and holds a
push-button to activate the kit. The fire fighter then continues through
the normal firefighting discharge procedure. A flow sensor installed in
the kit piping sends electrical signals to the meter in the cab. The
firefighter simply reads the sensor output and quickly determines the
vehicle’s AFFF delivery system performance. By releasing the push-button,
the kit is deactivated and the vehicle is in the ready, firefighting
mission mode. |
| Compliance Benefit: | The use of a NoFoam Kit can
help facilities meet material pretreatment standards for discharges of
wastewater into publicly owned treatment works (40 CFR 403) or effluent standards in an
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (40 CFR 122). In addition, this
treatment process may help facilities meet the requirements of waste
reduction under RCRA (40 CFR 262) and Executive Order 13148.
Under U.S. Naval Fire Protection Program (NAVFAC Guideline P-1021), tests and training on the vehicles and structural pumpers are mandated quarterly and annually. In some cases, based on local airfield requirements, fire chiefs often conduct daily, weekly, or monthly AFFF system tests in addition to the mandated requirements. The use of the NoFoam Kit provides an opportunity to meet or exceed these mandates without environmental consequence. The compliance benefits listed here are only
meant to be used as general guidelines and are not meant to be strictly
interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors
involved, e.g., the amount of workload
involved. |
| Materials Compatibility: | No materials compatibility
issues were identified.
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| Safety and Health: | No safety and health issues were identified. Consult your local industrial health specialist, your local health and safety personnel, and the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing this technology. |
| Benefits: |
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| Disadvantages: | None
Identified. |
| Economic Analysis: | The NFESC NoFoam Kit is
currently available for ARFF vehicle models CF4000L (Amertek) and P-19
(Oshkosh). The estimated capital cost for each kit is $7,500. The
estimated pay back period is less than two weeks, based on daily foam
distribution system checks. For the purpose of this analysis, one check
consists of eight routine, 5-second system tests (i.e., 5-second
through each nozzles eight times). The minimum pay back period is
estimated at 6 months based on minimal testing frequencies.
Additional cost avoidance savings can be realized by not using AFFF concentrate in the tests. A 30-second test consumes approximately 10-20 gallons of AFFF concentrate; thus, a savings of $70 to $140 per test can be achieved. Other non-tangible or not readily quantifiable
savings include those realized by elimination of costs associated with
hazardous waste disposal, treatment of the wastewater stream, and/or
downtime of treatment plants due to upsets. |
| NSN/MSDS: | None identified. |
| Approving Authority: | Appropriate authority for making process changes should
always be sought prior to procuring or implementing any of the technologies identified herein. |
| Points of Contact: | For more information |
| Vendors: | None identified.
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| Related Links: |
Do You Test AFFF Systems on Crash Fire Rescue Trucks? – Navy Environmental Quality Initiative (EQI) |
| Sources: | "NoFoam Kit –Aircraft Rescue
Fire Fighting (ARFF) Vehicle" data sheet, dated April 2000, Joint Services
Pollution Prevention Technical Library, P2 Handbook. 1996 NELP Initiative, NAVSTA Mayport and NS Norfolk, P2 Equipment Handbook. 1997 NLEP Initiative, NAS Oceana, P2 Equipment Handbook. |
| Supplemental: |
Picture of Crash, Fire, & Rescue Trucks Performing Blue Dye - Water Discharge Test 
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