Fire departments across the state of Connecticut are having the toxic foam with the ‘forever chemical’ known as PFAS removed from their fire trucks. The departments are doing it with the help of state grant money through the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
“This project has been years in the making,” said Jay Kelly, the fire equipment technician for the Bristol Fire Department. “We're moving forward and I'm glad this day is finally here.”
Kelly brought the last of seven fire engines to Environmental Services in South Windsor for the removal process. The foam that the tank is stored in is built in to the fire trucks so the tank cannot be removed. The Environmental Services team removes the foam from the tank, triple rinses the tank and ships the PFAS foam to a disposal facility out of state.
Environmental Services has removed foam from fire engines for at least 40 fire departments across the state since July.
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"We are going to get a safe product in the truck that our men and women in the fire service can use," said Kelly.
Fire departments then have state-approved options of products to use instead of the PFAS foam that are effective in fighting fires that range from fuel fires to lithium ion battery fires.
