CAFS requires hose designed to transport air, manufacturers warn
“Standard commercial fire hose carried on apparatus is not designed to transport air and may react violently” when used with a CAFS (compressed air foam system), warns the Fire Equipment Manufacturers` Association, Inc. (FEMA). A Safety Alert, reissued by FEMA in March and originally released in June 1994, issued the following warning:
“FEMA strongly recommends that no hose be used on a CAFS system unless such use is recommended by the manufacturer of the system and the hose manufacturer. Use of non-approved hose can be dangerous and may cause a hose or coupling failure, producing property damage, bodily injury, or death. Always follow the manufacturer`s recommendations and instructions on proper use and maintenance.”
FEMA has urged the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee on Fire Department Apparatus to provide in Chapter 10 of NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus, guidance in selecting hose that is suitable and safe for use in a CAFS. At the minimum, FEMA says, the standard should state that the hose`s use should be recommended by the manufacturers of the system and of the hose and the hose “is so marked for such use in a conspicuous manner.”
