Fight fires with foam Published Dec. 8, 2011 By Airman Madelyn Ottem 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- After six months of construction, an improved fire protection system was ready for testing Tuesday in Travis Air Force Base hangar 808. The hangar's typical sprinkler system was upgraded to a system that contains high expansion foam. "The HEF will actually smother flames and save the Air Force from any fires on planes while they are being maintained in the hangar," said Navy Ensign Dan Eldred, assistant resident in charge of construction. The construction was done under a Navy contract and administered by Travis' ROICC. The mixture is capable of preventing oxygen from reaching the fire, which suppresses the flames. It is composed of a nontoxic, biodegradable soap concentrate. The previous fire prevention system in the hangar was an antiquated deluge system- meaning that if one alarm was triggered, then all alarms inside the building would be set off unnecessarily, said Casey Covone, Desert Design & Construction Corporation superintendent. During the testing of the HEF, the foam was dispersed through six foam generators hung from the ceiling. The foam was allotted one minute to submerge 90 percent of the aircraft and 4 minutes to cover the entire hangar to a depth of one meter. The test results proved to be better than expected. "I am very pleased with the results shown today," Covone said. "The foam took half the time we allotted to cover the hangar." This system is important for the Air Force to maintain a fluid and efficient mission, Eldred said "With HEF we know with certainty that flames will be expelled," Covone said According to Covone, hangar 808 is the first hangar on Travis to receive this fire protection upgrade and plans are being made to continue implementing HEF. Desert Design and Construction Corp. is honored to be involved in projects like this for the DOD, in serving those who serve, Covone said.