Synthetic fluorine-free firefighting foam (SFFF) is nothing new, with the first versions introduced in the early 2000s.
Adoption of the technology was slow at first, as firefighters questioned whether these solutions could match the proven performance of traditional aqueous film-forming foams, used and trusted for more than 50 years. These were valid concerns, but over the ensuing years, SFFF closed that performance gap.
Statoil, now Equinor, showed its confidence in the technology, becoming one of the first petrochemical companies to commit fully in 2014 when they awarded SOLBERG® a contract to replace the fluorinated foam used company-wide with SOLBERG RE-HEALING™ 1% RF1 Fluorine-Free Foam Concentrate.
Continued advancements in fluorine-free technology, combined with evolving regulations restricting fluorinated foam use, have encouraged more organizations in the petrochemical industry and beyond to make the switch.
Today’s Class B fluorine-free foam is an effective solution for flammable liquid fires involving gasoline, oil and other hydrocarbon or polar solvent fuels. The foam forms a blanket over the burning liquid, cutting off oxygen and preventing vapor release to suppress fires quickly and effectively.
New technology, new techniques
Even as fluorine-free foam becomes more common, many firefighters haven’t had the chance to train with it, and overall foam use has declined, despite its effectiveness. Foam supports firefighter safety and improves water efficiency, reducing suppression times. These benefits alone make a strong case for more fire management teams to adopt foam in firefighting efforts, but it’s important for our industry to address misunderstandings about SFFF and be proactive in training firefighters on its use.
PS Foam School
To help address this, Perimeter Solutions introduced its Industrial Foam School, a comprehensive, two-day training program for industrial firefighters, hazmat teams and municipal firefighters who support industrial facilities.
Attendees receive in-depth training, including application techniques and how to preplan for incidents using fluorine-free firefighting foam. Where permitted, firefighters also receive hands-on training with real foam rather than training foam. Attendees use Perimeter Solutions’ advanced fluorine-free foam solutions, including SOLBERG VERSAGARD™ 1×3, SOLBERG VERSAGARD AS-100 and SOLBERG RE-HEALING 3×3 SP-100.
Since its launch in 2025, the Industrial Foam School has earned strong praise for its hands-on, science-driven style: "The program was presented in an impartial, no-nonsense approach with an excellent instructor-to-student ratio to ensure that any questions were directly addressed and reinforced by applying agents on actual fires," said Greg Jakubowski, senior engineer, Fire Protection with Asset Reliability and Engineering Services. "We were able to see the refocusing on fire attack needed to use the new foams and the importance of training and retraining field personnel. This has helped me in my role working with both internal firefighting teams and municipal firefighters that serve our facilities. This is a very valuable program for those responsible for applying or training others to apply the new fluorine-free foams."
Three Industrial Foam School sessions are scheduled for 2026. The first will take place April 29-30 at Refinery Terminal Fire Co. in Corpus Christi, Texas; the second is set for May 13-14 at Delaware State Fire Academy in Dover; and the third will take place May 27-28 at Lambton College in Sarnia, Ontario.
For more information, visit perimeter-solutions.com or email mark.siem@perimeter-solutions.com.
