Introduction of Novacool UEF 0.4% to Canadian firefighters

Weather Conditions: Showers and cool air temperatures.

Five tests were conducted for an audience composed of fire and safety officials from Canadian Atlantic Provinces, for several Canadian oil refineries and emergency services personnel. The attendees manned fire hoses. The event took place at the Nova Scotia Firefighters School in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The equipment used consisted of the following:
POK Educator using 95gpm @ 200psi
Elkhart Variable Nozzle also set to 95gpm
For Test 3 (clothes dryer) a low expansion tip was utilized and Pratt and Whitney Canada employees acted as the firefighters.

The first test was conducted using wooden pallets to simulate class A fire. The pallets were soaked in diesel fuel for about half an hour before the test. Diesel fuel was reapplied just before the ignition. Fire burned freely for about 10 minutes, Novacool UEF 0.4% solution in fresh water was applied at 95 GPM, and it was extinguished within seconds.

The second test was conducted using old car tires soaked in diesel fuel for at least 10 minutes prior to the ignition. The fire was extinguished in a matter of seconds. After the extinguishment numerous members of the audience were able to touch the burned tires barehanded, which had cooled to 68 deg. F. Please see the pictures from thermal imaging camera.

The third test was conducted using 55-gallon drum of Magnesium chips. After reaching full combustion, additional magnesium chips and shavings were added to the remaining magnesium from the first burn. A standard solution application of 0.4% Novacool was applied to the fire, resulting in the inferno being completely extinguished in approximately 2.5 minutes.

For the fourth test, a helicopter prop was used.  This helicopter is seating in pool/containment area making a fire 3D and pool fire at the same time.  The pool was filled with a diesel fuel/gasoline blend, ignited and allowed to freely burn for over 2 minutes. The nature of this hydrocarbon fire, forced the temperatures involved to soar.  Novacool was applied as in any of our tests.  The fire was very nearly out when the Novacool container was inadvertently knocked over, spilling its content, and stopping the flow of agent into the water stream.  In the time it took to set full container and begin again applying the mixture to the flames, the fire had returned, but it never regained its original intensity.  In spite of the setback, this extremely hot fire was completely extinguished in 4 minutes total time. 

The fifth test was a polar solvent extinguishment test. Task Force Tips high expansion adapter was added to the nozzle. Fuel used was wood alcohol pooled on the pad. Adjacent to the pad was a cargo container. After ignition the fuel was allowed to pre-burn for about 1 minute and the fire was completely extinguished in about 30 seconds. After the extinguishment the thermal imaging camera revealed that the wall of the cargo container was still extremely hot, reaching almost 300 deg. F. Secondary ignition of the alcohol did not occur and the firemen decided to see what impact on that hot wall will Novacool exert. They applied Novacool foam directly onto the hot wall for about 15 seconds. The thermal imaging camera revealed that the temperature drop down to 68 deg. F.

In the end all of the attendees, who ranked from Lieutenant to Fire Chief, and those who manned the hoses by themselves, admitted that Novacool UEF 0.4% did what it was design to do, behaved better than the classic foam concentrates and they all agreed that there was no over-inflated statements made about its performance.