On Wednesday May 8, the Upton Fire Department conducted a chemical fire suppression training session using one of the two Grafton and Upton Railroad Foam Units donated by the G&U Railroad. The total cost for both units was approximately $60,000, one unit is stored in Upton the other in Grafton. The Units combined carry a total of 990 gallons of Alcohol-Resistant Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AR-AFFF) giving the departments up to 45 minutes of on-site firefighting capability power which provides enough time for other State units to assist if needed.
The foam units were needed because the more common Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), while useful in fighting hydrocarbon chemical fires such as gasoline, cannot be used on alcohol chemical fires, such as ethanol.
When Upton residents were concerned about the transloading and transporting of liquid chemicals Fire Chief Goodale was proactive and attended a 10-day training course with the Security and Emergency Response Training Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The course was paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the training Chief Goodale received was based on standards created by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Fire Protection Association and the Office for Domestic Preparedness.
The Upton Fire Department trains on this equipment to be able to quickly prevent, extinguish, and/or contain a chemical fire as the result of a rail accident or an accident involving a truck carrying chemicals through town.
In addition to observing the Upton Fire Department train with the Foam Unit, Chief Goodale demonstrated how water, AFFF an AR-AFFF react to an alcohol based fire ~ video will be posted in a separate post.
During the training session the fire department used foam which was safe for the environment.
Click any photo to enlarge and start slide show.
UPTON DAILY 
I think it’s a sin it’s a necessity to have this training or wonder if 60,000 gallons of foam is enough to put a ethanol fire from potential multiple silos 1/2 mile from 3 schools. Upton should be ashamed of their elected officials for allowing this to happen.
happy to hear this. After what happened in West, Texas it would be useful if the town had as much access as possible to foam in an event of a chemical fire, as possible. Cheers, let’s hope the town and state possibly kicks in for more gear like this to keep us adequately safe. Makes me wonder if 60,000 gallons of foam is adequate, considering the quantity of chemicals in that area, anyone have an educated answer to this?