In 1819, James Boyd began manufacturing fire hose in Boston, Massachusetts. Two years later his first patent – for the rubber-lined fire hose – revolutionized firefighting by making it possible to pump water through hose, rather than draw it by suction. At the time, the Mayor of Boston reported a 100 feet of Boyd’s fire hose would do the same work as 60 men – and do it more efficiently, faster and safer.
In the 1920’s, Boyd’s company changed its name to National Foam and began developing firefighting foams and delivery systems. In the years since, nearly every major fire department in the U.S., the United States Armed Forces and tens of thousands of corporate firefighting teams have trusted National Foam to help them save countless lives and billions of dollars in property. Much in the world has changed in the 200 years since James Boyd’s vision formore effective fire control began to take shape. His company, however, carried on his legacy of innovation. Today, National Foam is the acknowledged world leader in foam firefighting, claiming the most patents of any company in the industry.
2018– Launch of Universal®F3 Green, a superior quality synthetic fluorine free foam concentrate, designed for extinguishing and securing all types of flammable liquid fires and Class A incidents
2016 – Completion of transition to C6 foam technology.
2016– Automated Touch Screen PLC controls on Big Flow systems
2011 – First Portable Foam System delivered flowing greater than 10,000 GPM
2010 – First Marine Assault Unit
2007 – Environmentally responsible high expansion foam and generator set
2006 – First Triton-6,000 GPM water supply submersible pump system
2004 – First Neptune- 6,000 GPM water supply pump system
2000 – First Iron Man-10,000-12,000 GPM water cannon
1999 – First Dominator-portable 5,000 GPM pump
1997 – New selectable aspirating/non-aspirating foam nozzle
1991 – Introduction of Universal Gold first patented 1 X 3% AR-AFFF
1982 – First Servo command foam proportioning system
1979 – First foam training school
First fire modeling lab for evaluation of foam performance
1976 – NF’s long-standing emergency response service was formalized and named Red Alert
1973 – First foam AR-AFFF
1969 – The first oscillating monitor
First emergency response service
1965 – First FluoroProtein foam
1964 – First Patented High Back Pressure Foam Maker
1963 – First Foam fire apparatus with automatic balanced pressure proportioning
1960 – First Dual agent truck for both foam and dry chemical
1955 – First large-capacity foam nozzle, monitor
First hydraulic foam tower
1952 – First foam-water sprinkler system
1948 – First complete mechanical foam fire protections systems
1943 – National foam honored by the James Forestall, Under Secretary to the Navy Department for outstanding war production achievements.
1933 – First polar solvent foam
1928 – First U.S. manufacturer of firefighting foam- National Foam System, Incorporated
1903 – First front wheel drive fire apparatus introduced
1859 – First cotton fire hose and expansion coupling
1819 – First U.S. manufacturer of fire hose
