Fire fighting foam alternatives being explored by La Crosse Fire Department
Switch comes following concerns over foams with PFAs
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) – La Crosse’s fire department is looking for alternative firefighting foams.
The news comes as some Wisconsin fire departments are no longer use the foams.
Some foams contains a group of man-made chemicals that are linked to increased cholesterol and cancer risk among other health hazards.
The La Crosse fire department became aware in recent years that some foams they were using contained PFAs.
They have since switched to using foam free of the chemicals for all of their training exercises.
They are currently looking into several replacements that claim to be PFAS free and are just as effective.
“We’ve put together this task force that will look at what products are going to be best to use as replacements, the products that are most likely to be able to get the job done,” said La Crosse Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeff Murphy.
PFAs contaminate the state’s groundwater and waterways, and are also found in products like nonstick pans.
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