A multi-year bipartisan effort to replace a toxic firefighting product with a safer alternative recently marked a significant milestone with the signing of a contract.
Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) has been an effective tool for fighting flammable liquid fires for decades. Unfortunately, the foam also contains PFAS, often called “forever chemicals” because of their ability to persist in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated PFAS as “hazardous substances” in September 2022.
PFAS may harm infant development and are suspected of causing cancer, hormone disruption, and having detrimental impacts on the liver, kidneys, and immune system.
State Rep. Danny Short (R-Seaford), a lifetime member and past Seaford Volunteer Fire Department chief, took action after speaking with volunteer firefighters. He sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 8, directing the Delaware State Fire School to inventory all AFFF held by Delaware fire departments and fire companies, propose a plan for its safe disposal, and estimate the cost of transitioning to a nontoxic substitute.
The price tag for the needed work was estimated at $1 million, which was included in last year’s Bond Bill. Because of the need to evaluate alternative products and find a private company to perform the work, a contract was not signed until earlier this month during a ceremony at the Delaware State Fire School, northwest of Dover. Delaware State Fire School Executive Director Tucker Dempsey said the old product will be collected, responsibly discarded, and replaced with the new foam over the next two months. The school will also change its training to reflect the tactics and protocols required to use the new foam effectively.
