b'34 APFENVIRONMENTALDisposing the old rapid intervention vehicle will take some doing as well. We expect that it will be sold at auction once all of its tanks, lines, nozzles and other components serving the foam system are removed and properly disposed of, says Brown.Suggestions Leaders involved with the project at APF have advice for other airports eyeing changeovers to fluorine-free firefighting foam. Know your trucks as best as you possibly can, says Brown. And make sure you have your experts ready; that is, the right people involved and on site. If youre going through the process and theres a hiccup, then you will have someone nearby who can address it.He also recommends allowing plenty of time to make the ECT2 provided the systemswitch, because taking an ARFF vehicle out of service for any to clean out the old foam;length of time requires careful planning to ensure proper airfield BIOEX supplied the new fluorine-free foam.coverage. For Naples Airport Authority, research and preparations lasted about one year, and it took crews about five days to flush, The team also encountered equipment challenges whiletest and recertify each truck. calibrating the correct foam-to-water ratio for the new fluorine- Thoroughly think the process through and ask as many free foam, which has higher viscosity than AFFF. To achieve thequestions as you need to get comfortable with the process, says proper flow rate from the older of the two ARFF vehicles, airportPrice, from the FAA. He also suggests meeting with city, county personnel replaced a permeated steel plate that governs the foamand state environmental representatives so they are on board proportioning.with the project. On a more detailed level, Price says to have a As NoFoam President Lina Ramos seesconductivity meter to measure foam-to-water proportions, and it, the biggest challenge of such a complexto be ready with spare gaskets, O rings (which help maintain the project is keeping aware of the impacteffectiveness of firefighting systems and stop leaks) and other that each stakeholder has on a successfulparts so there wont be delays getting trucks back into service.changeover. Steps such as hardwareMarine, of Texas Molecular, emphasizes that although disposal changes to compensate for viscosityof AFFF-impacted wastes is a small part of the overall project, differences, modifying truck mechanisms andit can have regulatory and risk implications. A comprehensive more can all impact the outcome. She notesLINA RAMOS changeover plan must include an evaluation of disposal methods that its important to choose partners whoand companies, including their PFAS experience, capabilities and can troubleshoot effectively because each ARFF vehicle respondsreduction of future liability, he adds.uniquely to the change in foam viscosity, and the foam transitionAmong McKeowns recommendations: Do your research about process is still relatively new. the experience of potential vendors as well as their pricing and Holm, credits Naples Airport Authority for fostering cooperationtechnical data. Make sure youre comfortable with the approach between the internal and external project participants. Thethat your transition partner has laid out for you, he adds. planning and communication that resulted made it possible for theRamos, from NoFoam, encourages airports to learn from their multiple teams to be ready for their particular steps, he explains.peers. Airports like Naples Airport and Jackson Hole Airport For example, When the cleanout was completed, the firefightersare pioneers but have come through the process with flawless would be ready to take that truck out to test; and after testing andexecution, she says. passing the truck, the next truck could be taken out of service.Buying a new rapid intervention vehicle that can use fluorine-freeYes, You Canfoam proved to be surprisingly difficult due to supply chain delaysAlthough the prospect of transitioning ARFF vehicles away from the for the chassis. To circumvent the two- to three-year backlog,old foams can seem daunting, it will soon be essential. So Brown Brown and his colleagues worked the phones and internet,offers encouragement to his counterparts who are beginning to combing the U.S. market for leads. They found a Ford F-550consider or plan such projects.chassis from E-One that fit the construction specifications for theIt doesnt have to be a daunting task; it really doesnt, he new vehicle and had it shipped to the Kansas facility of Unruh Fire,says. Put one foot down and the next one in front of it, and you which is assembling the vehicle. As a result, the overall delivery timeget moving.was cut considerably, and is expected to be 12 to 16 months. The airport expects to take delivery of its new vehicle in April 2025.November | December 2024AirportImprovement.com'