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AFFF Terms and Acronyms: What Do They Mean?

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Fire foam acronyms hold a lot more meaning than what’s offered at face value, especially to firefighters and their families suffering the effects of exposure. Countless service members and firefighters spent their careers reciting acronyms for aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) terms, concentrate values, and operating pressure. 

But common AFFF term definitions are important to more than fire chiefs, military commanders, and their crews. Healthcare workers where firefighters battle the effects of exposure, government agencies fighting for new manufacturing regulations, and legal teams advocating for fire service members must become versed in the language of firefighting and the acronyms AFFF and PFAS.

Firefighting Foam Terminology

Whether you’re watching the news or researching possible exposure sources of AFFF, you’ve probably noticed firefighting foam described in a variety of terms. You don’t need to be a chemist to understand all the ways firefighting foam has negatively affected you or your loved ones, but it helps to dive into the firefighting foam terminology to fully grasp what exposure may mean for those affected. 

Learn the common AFFF terms and their definitions on the list below:

  • Class B Suppressant: A solution designed to fight or suppress Class B fires, which stem from combustibles composed of flammable liquids.
  • AFFF Concentrate: This term refers to the way AFFF is made available, which can include 5-gallon containers to 5,000-gallon tanker trucks; AFFF concentrate terms also refer to the solution’s mixture ratio with water, which may be concentrated with 1%, 3%, or 6% AFFF. 
  • Fluorosurfactant: A firefighting foam made with fluorine, which includes all aqueous film-forming foam variations.
  • Highly Persistent: Chemicals that resist degradation in the environment are considered persistent; highly persistent chemicals, including PFAS in AFFF, are those that degrade at a half-life of six months or longer.
  • Legacy AFFF: A category of fire suppressants developed using electrochemical fluorination (ECF) that results in long-chain PFAS; legacy AFFF is also known as ECF-based foam, long-chain PFOS foam, and C8 foam.
  • Light Water: The brand name of legacy AFFF developed by 3M that was produced from the 1970s until 2001.
  • Modern AFFF: A category of fire suppressants developed through a fluorotelomerization (FT) process that results in short-chain PFAS; modern AFFF is also known as fluorotelomer foam, short-chain fluorotelomer foam, and C6 foam.

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Chemistry Terms

AFFF is a chemically engineered, synthetic substance that is surrounded by scientific jargon. Understanding some of the basic chemistry terms referenced in AFFF articles and studies is a good place to start understanding the hazards these substances pose. 

Firefighting foam terminology includes a handful of must-know words that help explain the chemical characteristics of these suppressants, including:

  • Chemical Byproducts: A substance produced without intent during the manufacture, processing, use, or disposal of another chemical substance; PFOS is a chemical byproduct of legacy AFFF.
  • Forever Chemicals: This AFFF terminology is a name ascribed to all per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including those in foam suppressants, because the slow molecular breakdown causes these chemicals to remain in the environment, wildlife, and humans, for very long periods.
  • Half-Life: The amount of time it takes for one-half of a chemical compound to decay; the half-life of forever chemicals ranges from 2 to 30+ years.
  • Long-Chain PFAS: Any forever chemical that contains more than six carbon atoms in the chemical structure; the PFOA and PFOS long-chain PFAS are among the most studied and most toxic.
  • Novel PFAS: Newly discovered PFAS that are not yet listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database of 14,000 potential and confirmed forever chemicals.
  • PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a complex group of synthetic man-made compounds also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ PFAS are common additives in consumer and industrial products, including aqueous film-forming firefighting foams.
  • PFOA/PFOS: Perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate, two long-chain PFAS in legacy AFFF.
  • Precursor PFAS: Chemicals that transform over time into perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA), a chemical group that includes two hazardous forever chemicals, PFOS and PFOA.
  • Short-Chain PFAS: Forever chemicals that contain six or fewer carbon atoms in the chemical structures; these are considered “safer” than long-chain PFAS but significantly less research has been done on short-chain, or C6, PFAS.

Fire Foam Acronyms

Most firefighting foam terminology refers to its characteristics and function within the fire industry, and some of these definitions can seem technical and scientific. If your experiences with aqueous foam occurred during military service or a career in firefighting, you’ve undoubtedly come across common fire foam acronyms. Though the names are short, most AFFF acronyms represent ingredients that now contribute to a long list of adverse health conditions.

The AFFF term definitions for many frequently used suppressant types are listed below:

  • AFFF or A-Triple-F: This fire foam acronym means ‘aqueous film-forming foam,’ a generalized term given to firefighting suppressants that use fluorinated chemicals to combat Class B fires.
  • C8 and C6: The scientific community often uses the AFFF terms C8 and C6, which speak to the number of carbon atoms within the chemical makeup of the concentrates; C8 is synonymous with legacy AFFF and C6 with modern AFFF.
  • F3, FFF, or Triple F: These fire foam acronyms stand for Fluorine-Free Firefighting Foams, the synthetic, eco-friendly alternatives to AFFF foam.
  • AR-P:  Alcohol-Resistant Protein Foam is a fluorine-free foam made from natural proteins, and is mostly obsolete due to its finicky nature. 
  • AR-FFF: Alcohol-Resistant Fluorine-Free Foam is a synthetic firefighting suppressant that does not have PFAS added during the production process.
  • FFFP: Film-Forming Fluoroprotein Foam, a synthetic variation of AFFF that contains hydrolyzed protein thickener plus a blend of fluorinated surfactants, or PFAS.
  • FP: Fluoroprotein Foam, a synthetic firefighting suppressant that is made using a combination of protein-based frothing substances and fluorochemicals, or PFAS.
  • FPAR: Alcohol-Resistant Fluoroprotein Foam is a synthetic suppressant made with fluorochemicals, or PFAS, and protein-based frothing agents that are effective against fires with alcohol. 

AFFF Manufacturing Definitions

Man-made chemicals known as PFAS are the primary ingredients in AFFF. These chemical names have become common words in firefighting foam terminology, credited with providing exemplary suppression capabilities, and unfortunately, extreme toxicity. Many don’t realize that the production methods of PFAS affect the final composition and AFFF exposure risks.

The PFAS in AFFF have been manufactured in two ways, ECF and FT; these fire foam acronyms are explained below:

  • ECF: Electrochemical fluorination was used to manufacture the components in legacy AFFF; ECF-derived AFFF contains a diverse mixture of PFAS, including long-chain chemicals.
  • FT: Fluorotelomerization chemical manufacturing process results in short-chain PFAS and as a result, this process replaced ECF surfactant production in the early 2000s; firefighting with FT-derived AFFF is transitioning to fluorine-free alternatives. 

Regulation-Related AFFF Terms 

With ongoing AFFF lawsuits in the news and continuous regulation changes, word is spreading about the dangerous nature of firefighting foam. Many congressional bills are proposing changes to the lifecycle of AFFF regarding its production and elimination. 

When reading about regulatory agencies and legislative bills about AFFF, you should know these acronyms:

  • EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency recommended early restrictions for the production and release of AFFF; this agency’s current PFAS Strategic Roadmap includes initiatives for PFAS enforcement through 2027. 
  • MIL-SPEC: This abbreviation stands for military specifications; the MIL-SPEC for AFFF describes the characteristics and functionality that firefighting foam must display to be approved for military use. The first MIL-SPEC for AFFF was issued in 1969 (MIL-F-24385) and the current specification is MIL-PRF-32725, which calls for PFAS-free suppressants.
  • NDAA: The National Defense Authorization Act specifies the federal budget and expenditures of the U.S. Department of Defense; the 2019 Act provided sweeping provisions and a timeline for AFFF use and restrictions.
  • NFPA: The National Fire Protection Association develops standards for firefighting equipment and tactics and will be a source for fire departments converting suppression systems for fluorine-free foams.
  • NRL: The abbreviation for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the lab that developed AFFF with 3M in the 1960s and performed many case studies—that went largely unheard—in the early years of AFFF use.
  • PBT: Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic are AFFF term definitions of ‘PBT,’ a classification given to PFOS and PFOA, two compounds in legacy foam suppressants.  
  • QPL: The Qualified Products List of the U.S. military includes the exact brand of firefighting foam that meets MIL-SPECs for use on bases, naval ships, and airplane hangers.
  • USEPA 2010/2015 Voluntary PFOA Stewardship Program: This program by the EPA led the way for reducing PFOA and related chemicals in product content by 2010 and eliminating it by 2015; two AFFF manufacturers, 3M and DuPont, were among the participants.

Definitions Related to AFFF Exposure

Familiar acronyms in the fire industry, such as PPE and SDS, take on new meanings when you consider their relation to AFFF. These terms that were once protection-related can now be considered possible pathways to PFAS exposure, though you won’t find these explanations in their dictionary descriptions. 

Some of the once-routine health and safety jargon that takes on new meaning as AFFF terms includes:

  • PPE: Personal Protective Equipment encompasses the devices worn by firefighters to protect them from toxic combustible fumes, heat, and suppressant chemicals; new observations of AFFF exposure from firefighter gear and training have surfaced suggesting a likely contamination pathway via PPE.
  • Bioaccumulative: This terminology refers to PFAS’ ability to build up in human tissue over time, causing biological changes resulting in cancer and other diseases.
  • Biomonitoring: The collection and analysis of human fluids to gauge exposure to contaminants, including PFAS from AFFF use.
  • SDS/MSDS: Safety data sheets provided by manufacturers for AFFF were not required to list PFAS as its active ingredients; this omission and misinformation resulted in relaxed safety measures for those handling the suppressant.

MDL: A Multidistrict Litigation is a federal legal proceeding that consolidates pretrial hearings for cases with common questions of fact. The ongoing AFFF MDL is fighting for current and past fire service employees and their families who must now deal with the harmful effects of PFAS exposure. 

If these AFFF acronyms have become a part of your everyday language, join thousands of fellow firefighters who qualify for the firefighting foam lawsuit by sharing your story with our advocates today.