CAF – Advanced Topics

CAF – Basement Fire Attack

TRAINING SCENERIO This description was from a training exercise that involved 4-person structure firefighter crews and 3 CAF instructors. This exercise involved live fire at the department’s training center and two-story burn building. The CAF instructors rotated with the crews on entry exercises. On one instructor’s 3rd rotation, the crew of 4 decided to attack …

CAF & Fire Investigation

Investigation of Fires Controlled with Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS) In today’s fire service world of “do more with less” many agencies are at least investigating, if not outright adopting the use of foam additives and Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS). These foaming additives are put to use with the thought of extending water’s capability …

CAF and Attic Fires

CAF Flow Chart

This CAF Flow guide is real world data to provide information on the air and foam solution flows with various size hose lines, smooth bore nozzle tips, and foam types.  It is meant to be used in training and testing to help achieve the proper finished foam product.  The numbers were not calculated by a …

CAF in Structure Fires

Basic Theory of CAFS use in Structure Fires. The use of CAFS technology provides the most efficient and effective production of finished foam currently available to the fire service. The bubble structure produced by these systems is highly superior to aspirated foam in that the structure is smaller, uniform and highly compacted. This allows the …

CAF – WL vs Structure

Is CAF better for WL than for use in Structure Fires? Well, let’s analyze the situation. Wildland is natural grown fuels (both wild and agricultural), all are CLASS A FUELS that burn when fuel, heat and O2 combine. Heat and O2 are pretty much always readily present. The fuels tend to only burn at certain …

Exposure Protection

Structures and other man-made values are often exposed to nearby fire. That nearby fire might be a fast-moving wildland fire or an adjacent structure fire close enough to the exposure to set the exposure on fire, or at least do some significant heat damage to it. How much water does it take to protect the …

CAF Costs (The Dollars $$$$)

Figuring the exact dollar saving for purchasing a CAF System is not an exact science, but here is how it works: Look back on the fires experienced in your department. Of the estimated dollar losses, estimate the loss attributed to water damage. A lot of fire departments estimate that water damage may be as high …

CAF & Foam Instruction

How to get the best effectiveness out of your CAFS So your department took the plunge and purchased a compressed air foam system on your new apparatus. You know CAF capabilities will enhance your operations but by how much? There are various numbers floating around out there. Two times, five times, ten times more effective …

Adding Air to the Fire – Flow Path

Does CAF add air to the fire? Not really. If the fire is burning (Fuel + Heat + Oxygen), the fire already has adequate natural air. Air In & Heat Out is part of the burning process – referred to as “The Flow Path”. Just for reference, using a positive pressure ventilation fan can add …

How Long Will Bubbles Last?

Simple answer: It varies. It’s actually a 2 part question – How long do the bubbles last and how long does the moisture last? The visible bubble is water that has yet to be absorbed by the heat or the protected fuel. Basically, it is water in reserve, holding in place. How long the bubble …

CAFS Operator Troubleshooting Scenarios

This PFD document outlines troubleshooting scenerios that the CAFS Operator may face. Knowing these issues ahead of time can prevent incident CAFS shutdown or potential injuries.