At a firefighter congress held in Belgium, firefighters trialled an environmentally friendlier, fluorine-free foam for the first time.
The multi-discipline training centre, Campus Vesta in Ranst, Antwerp hosted the congress last Friday and Saturday. Interior Minister, Annelies Verlinden and Governor of the Antwerp province, Cathy Berx, witnessed the first tests of the fluorine-free foam, also known as 3F (Fluor-free foam).
The new foam is intended to be used as an alternative extinguisher for industrial fires. A growing number of companies and rescue zones are starting to adopt the fluorine-free foam. However, its application requires a different technique and there are concerns as it is less powerful than fluorinated foam.
In addition to the workshops, the municipality of Ranst hosted a fair with 150 stands. A thousand visitors had the opportunity to learn about the latest fire-fighting techniques.
Campus Vesta conducted the 3F foam trial in partnership with H2K, a Dutch specialist in firefighter training.
