Foam Task Force

A recent training exercise in November, at the South County Fairgrounds, by the Hunterdon County Foam Task Force prepares the specialized unit from various County Volunteer Fire Companies for major roadway emergencies involving flammable and combustible liquids and gases, Freeholder John E. Lanza reported at the December 17th Board Meeting.

Lanza, the Board’s Deputy Director, stated, “Training and preparedness, led by the County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM), are the backbone of the County’s emergency preparedness efforts. Often times the training will involve esoteric equipment and materials of which the public is not fully aware, such as the Foam Task Force.”

Lanza noted, “I am advised that it is a unit that responds with specialized foam, applicating firefighting equipment, and trained personnel to contain, control, and extinguish fires, or releases and spills involving flammable or combustible liquids or gases. These are fires that cannot be extinguished by the application of water.

As you might imagine, these events are most likely to occur with accidents involving trucks carrying these types of liquids and gases, particularly on major highways. However, other incident types include rail transportation accidents, downed aircraft, fixed facility fires and fuel spills.”

Lanza reported that the Foam Task Force training was facilitated by OEM and Hunterdon County’s Fire Chiefs and included volunteers from the Amwell Valley Fire Company, High Bridge Fire Company, Lebanon Township Fire Company, Oldwick Fire Company, Stockton Fire Company, Three Bridges Fire Company, Hampton Fire Company, West Amwell Fire Company, and the Hunterdon County Hazardous Materials Response Unit.

The Task Force’s resources are strategically placed across Hunterdon County to provide for a rapid response to the low frequency, but high-risk incidents involving hazardous materials.

Lanza pointed out in his report that the Task Force’s last active deployment was in June 2017 to a truck on fire hauling flammable products in Raritan Township on RT 202.

“However, with I-78 and Routes 202, 22, 31, and 29 transiting across our County, it is only a matter of time that the unit will be called on again to respond to a serious situation.

And we’ll all be glad for their training and preparedness. Which, by the way, is conducted by volunteers. My hats off to all involved,” Lanza concluded.