Fluorine-Free Foam Use and Training

Project Title: Transition of North Carolina Fire Departments to Fluorine-Free Foams: Implications on Use, Training and Exposure

This project aims to support North Carolina fire departments transitioning from traditional aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) containing environmentally persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to safer fluorine-free alternatives. As federal, state, and local regulations increasingly restrict AFFF, North Carolina fire departments need resources to make informed transitions. In collaboration with the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal (NC OSFM), NC State’s Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC) will organize regional workshops and a live training exercise with a local fire training center to educate firefighters in adopting fluorine-free foams. These workshops will cover PFAS use in firefighting, the performance expectations for alternative foams, and discuss disposal and replacement options. Additionally, these workshops and live training will be freely available to NC fire departments to attend and will be converted into a virtual module that will increase access across the state for career and volunteer firefighters.

Project Goals:

1. Collect information regarding alternative fluorine-free foams for workshops.
2. Evaluation of fluorine-free alternatives regarding any environmental and/or health concerns/toxicity.
3. Organize PFAS/AFFF workshops in the state of North  Carolina for fire departments.
4. Host a live fluorine-free foam training session with a local fire training center.

• Grant: North Carolina Collaboratory (Jan. 2023 – Dec. 2023)
• Grant Award Amount: $100,000

Publications

Jahura, F.T., Mazumder, N.U.S., Hossain, M.T., Kasebi, A., Girase, A., Ormond, R.B. (2024). Exploring the Prospects and Challenges of Fluorine-Free Firefighting Foams (F3) as Alternatives to Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF): A Review. ACS Omega, 9(36), 37430-37444.