TO: FROM: Technical Committee on Water Additives for Fire Control and Vapor Mitigation Kimberly Shea, Project Administrator DATE: August 23, 2013 SUBJECT: Informational Ballot Results on NFPA 1150 The results of the Informational ballot are as follows: 9 Members Eligible to Vote 1 Ballots Not Returned (Tinsley, Jr.) 7 Members Agree with taking responsibility for NFPA 1150, Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels. 3 Agree that it could be accomplished during the F2015 revision cycle. 4 Do Not Agree that this could be accomplished during the F2015 revision cycle. ( Biller, Brandao, Johnson, Shugarman) 1 Member Does Not Agree with taking responsibility for NFPA 1150, Standard on foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels (Greiner) Please see the attached reasons provided for disagreeing votes.
Technical Committee on Water Additives for Fire Control and Vapor Mitigation NFPA 18/18A Informational Ballot : I agree with taking responsibility for NFPA 1150 Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels If you agree, is it your intention that this could be accomplished during the F2015 revision cycle? This would involve incorporating some or all of the provisions of NFPA 1150, Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels, into NFPA 18, Standard on Wetting Agents and/or18a, Standard on Water Additives for Fire Control and Vapor Mitigation. YES NO X : I do not agree with taking responsibility for NFPA 1150 NFPA 1150 Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels Please provide explanation for any disagreement: 1. Class A Foam Fire Suppression Mechanics are based on forming a foam blanket to separate the fuel from the oxygen. Wetting Agent Fire Suppression Mechanics are based on simply reducing the surface tension allowing for spreading and penetration. Encapsulator Agent Fire Suppression Mechanics are based on encapsulating the hydrocarbon molecule in a Chemical Cocoon know as a Micelle rendering the hydrocarbon molecule non flammable, non ignitable. Not only three different products with three different fire suppression mechanics but actually three different categories of products. Mixing three categories of product into one standard would be quite confusing to the marketplace. 2. As Armand points out Class A Foams form foam bubbles and have expansion ration and quarter life drain time. These items are critical to the performance of Class A foams because of how they interact with the fire; but non consequential to Wetting Agents or Encapsulator Agents based on how they interact with the fire to suppress fire. 3. I believe in casting your vote consideration should be given to the fact that both Cecilia Johnson and Charles George (who sit on FRU AAA and WAB AAA) both cast negative votes in their FRU AAA voting. It would appear to me that they being on both committees along with being involved in the FRU AAA Technical Committee discussion they can see that there are difference in the fire suppression mechanisms of these three categories of products and rolling them into one or even two standards would be confusing
I would have no issue with WAB AAA taking over responsibility for NFPA 1150 but would not support rolling NFPA 1150 in NFPA 18 or 18A. These are three different categories of products, with three different and distinct fire suppression interactions and each category should have its own Qualification Test Protocols as well as Application and Use Guidelines. On a side note if 1150 is moved over to WAB AAA and then dovetailed into!8 or 18B, what is the intention of NFPA with NFPA 1145? NFPA 1150 This is the Class A Foam Qualification Test Protocol NFPA 1145 This is the Application and Use Guideline for Class A Foam that passed NFPA 1150 Michael T. Greiner Signature Michael T. Greiner Name August 21, 2013 Date Please return your ballots not later than Thursday, August 22, 2013 to kshea@nfpa.org
Technical Committee on Water Additives for Fire Control and Vapor Mitigation NFPA 18/18A Informational Ballot X : I agree with taking responsibility for NFPA 1150 Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels If you agree, is it your intention that this could be accomplished during the F2015 revision cycle? This would involve incorporating some or all of the provisions of NFPA 1150, Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels, into NFPA 18, Standard on Wetting Agents and/or18a, Standard on Water Additives for Fire Control and Vapor Mitigation. YES X NO : I do not agree with taking responsibility for NFPA 1150 NFPA 1150 Standard on Foam Chemicals for Fires in Class A Fuels Please provide explanation for any disagreement: I do not agree that Class A foam should be incorporated into either of the standards this committee is responsible for. It should stand alone and that is the basis of my agreement. 1150 is a product standard. I am of the opinion that the committee should develop (using the provisions of 18, 18A, and 1150) a product standard that could apply to all of the products to assure personal/environmental safety and effectiveness. It would take a little time to develop a coherent set of fire tests and which would be required of which product types. The fire effectiveness requirements could be in the same document or part of other documents. 18 and 18A also contain fixed system requirements that could be split from the product requirements. This would provide a map for suppliers as far as developing or modifying products and how they might be used. Cecilia W. Johson Signature