I’m an EMT/lieutenant on a joint fire/ems company. Our firefighters use Class A foam.
Do you know of any dangers/issues related to firefighter exposure to the foam, e.g. skin contact, inhalation, accidental ingestion?
I just want our squad to be ready if we have to treat anyone for unprotected contact. For example, we’ve already had issues with accidental inhalation of dry chem.
Generally, Class A foams under normal conditions cause no inhalation issues, but might cause issues if ingested. Class A Foams are very similar to dish soaps and can cause drying of the skin if there is enough skin contact (similar to dish pan hands). Some Class A foams have no reportable contents and some do. The only way to be sure of any foam product is to secure a copy of the MSDS and read what it has to say about health issues. Most of the major foam manufacturers have their MSDS available on-line.
