Municipal Fire Departments
When we talk about firefighting with F-500 EA and industry, we have to involve our municipal firefighters. If a process machine catches fire, employees might try to extinguish it with a fire extinguisher, but it is the local firefighters who get called in when things get out of hand. Some industries have fire brigades but their numbers are shrinking as budgets get tighter. Even with fire brigades, they rarely are equipped to handle serious problems. The local firefighter is the last line of defense.
Municipal firefighters have been a priority of HCT for many years. Many fire departments have learned the benefits of F-500 EA, but there are many who haven’t yet discovered why F-500 EA should be their agent of choice.
When efforts failed to extinguish a tire fire in Arizona and it escalated to a million tires, they called in F-500 EA. In the South China Sea, a cargo ship was burning with a cargo of magnesium, chemicals and tires. After 80 hours of applying AFFF (foam) from deck guns, they boarded the cargo ship and extinguished it with hand lines and twelve 5-gallon pails of F-500 EA. After applying Mil Spec AFFF for 4 ½ hours from two airport crash trucks, F-500 EA extinguished 21 burning oil tanks in Iowa. In Italy, foam was applied to an oil storage fire for hours. F-500 EA extinguished the blaze in 15 minutes. This single fire led the Italian Navy and the Italian national oil company to adopt F-500 EA. The list goes on. Firefighters are learning to rely on F-500 EA for all types of fires.
The ability of F-500 EA to handle almost any fire is the main reason firefighters should carry F-500 EA. You never know what to expect. The day could bring a house fire. F-500 EA has amazingly fast knockdown capabilities and interrupting the free radical chain reaction means reduced toxic smoke and better visibility for the firefighter. Also, since F-500 EA doesn’t evaporate into superheated steam, there are less reported burns from steam. After fire overhaul is a breeze, since F-500 EA has excellent burn back resistance. And you use less water, so there is less water damage and run-off is unlikely. A fire department could be called to an auto accident with spilled fuel. In minutes, F-500 EA extinguishes the fire and encapsulates the fuel spill. The scene is actually safe for traffic to drive through. Would a fire department use AFFF or AR-AFFF? There are multiple hazards at an accident; Class A materials, Class B polar fuels, Class B nonpolar fuels, Class C high-voltage lithium-ion batteries, Class D combustible metals and of course, three-dimensional firefighting. Only one agent can handle all of these, F-500 Encapsulator Agent.
The next day, a fire department may get called to an industrial fire. Hopefully, they are aware of the hazards at the local plant and have trained for this day. Do they have the right equipment? What chemicals and liquids are present? Do they have the right agent for the job? The answer is F-500 EA. One agent can handle almost every application. Even in situations where water may do the job, how much water are you carrying? Do you want to risk the expense of having to call in a pumper truck or a drafting operation to draw water from a nearby pond? F-500 EA is your best chance to use the water you have most efficiently. There’s little chance of rekindles after the fire and the firefighters are ready for the next call.
F-500 Encapsulator Agent
- Extinguishes Class A, Class B polar and nonpolar, Class D metals and specific Class C fires*
- Rapidly cools fuel and surrounding structures
- Encapsulates fuel rendering it nonflammable and nonignitable
- Interrupts the free radical chain reaction – less toxic smoke; better visibility
- Eliminates scorching steam
- Eliminates burn back
- Uses less water
* F-500 EA can be used on Class C high-voltage lithium-ion battery fires and after consulting SOGs can be used on energized transformer fires up to 345 KV, streaming from 125 feet.
