Tulsa Fire Department Testing New Foam System

The Tulsa Fire Department has rolled out some new trucks that give them a significant edge in firefighting. They can actually prevent some fires.

It's a significant change for the fire department - and so new - it hasn't been used on a real fire yet in Tulsa.

The department is changing over to a new foam system that uses very little water - and can actually be sprayed on something to prevent it from catching fire.

Three new Tulsa Fire Department squads joined the fleet late Thursday. They're the typical fire paramedic squads the department has been buying lately with an extra piece of equipment that's planned for all new fire trucks.

The trucks carry 150 gallons of water and a compressed air foam system that's five times more effective than anything the department has used before.

"If you put 500 or 600 gallons on the third or fourth floor, it's going to go down. This allows us to cut that amount of water by 80 percent and it cuts the amount of damage," explained Tulsa Fire Captain Stan May.

Even small trucks can make lots of high strength foam. It's enough to put out a small fire - or slow down a big one until more help can arrive.

"You can see you can coat walls or whatever you spray it on, it sticks to," said Tulsa Firefighter James Fuller.

The real advantage of this foam over the system they've used before is that it stays in place for up to an hour.

That keeps fires from rekindling - and when there's a danger of fire spreading - it can be used as fire retardant coating.

"We can go to a house, somebody's house, apply it to the side, the side of the house, the roof, and the vehicles and it will add another layer of protection," said Tulsa Firefighter Matt Penderson.

Each truck cost $250,000. While the foam costs more than water, it gives firefighters a way to stop fires faster - and save more property. 

The department just has three of new trucks now. It's too expensive to retrofit older trucks, so they'll add the equipment as they buy new ones.