Hazard Control Technologies: F500 Encapsulator Agent (EA)

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     F-500 Encapsulator Agent is not a foam, so it contains no fluorines, such as perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS). F-500 EA is 100% biodegradable and is non-hazardous, containing no ingredients reportable under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III, Section 313 or the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Shelf life is 15 years and it can be discarded as a non-hazardous waste under RCRA CFR261.

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     These unique properties make F-500 Encapsulator Agent the most versatile firefighting agent available.  Where foam has to form and maintain a perfect blanket to separate a fire from oxygen, F-500 EA merely needs to contact the fuel and vapors.  F-500 EA is perfect for three-dimensional fires, plus F-500 EA is recommended for Class A, Class B (polar and nonpolar), Class K and Class D fires.  There’s no need to inventory Class A, AFFF and AR-AFFF foams and specialized agents for Class D fires.  F-500 EA can do it all!

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Why F-500 EA is Economical

 

Versatile

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F-500 Encapsulator Agent can be used on most fires.  There is no need to carry Class A foam for Class A fires, AFFF foam for Class B nonpolar fires, AR-AFFF foam for Class B polar fires and powder for Class D combustible metal fires, when F-500 EA can handle all of these fires.  F-500 EA is also approved for ISO (Insurance Services Office) Equivalency List Credit Recognition, so there’s no reason to inventory foam at the station.  F-500 EA has been tested and recommended for transformer fires, and tested by multiple companies for lithium-ion battery fires, particularly hybrid and electric car fires.

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Less Agent Used

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Time after time, tests and real life events have shown the superior knockdown capability and burnback resistance of F-500 EA.  The fire is rapidly cooled and the fuel and free radicals are encapsulated, extinguishing the fire.  F-500 EA is competitively priced with foams, so the comparison is simple.  The faster the fire is out, the less agent will be used.

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A striking example is a small fuel spill on a highway.  Eight gallons of gasoline would require one gallon of F-500 EA and 40 gallons of water to render it nonflammable and nonignitable.  NFPA 11 (Table 5.8.2.2) states foam must be applied to a nondiked hydrocarbon spill for a minimum of 15 minutes at an application rate of 0.10 gpm/ft2 or 3%.  To safely blanket the ethanol-blended fuel spill, according to NFPA, 36 gallons of AR-AFFF foam will be required with 1,200 gallons of water!  The difference in the cost of F-500 EA vs. the foam is staggering.

Clean-up with F-500 EA is minimal.  Generally, the F-500 EA is left to evaporate.

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Less Water Used

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More and more communities are taking water usage more seriously.  Water is becoming an expense that needs to be addressed.  In the example above, 40 gallons of water was used with the F-500 EA and 1,200 gallons of water with foam, but the quantity used on the scene is not the whole story.

In many areas, water is not available, such as highways, industrial properties and rural areas.  That means the first fire truck on the scene needs to be carrying enough water to fight the fire or an addition team or tank truck needs to be called in.  An expensive and time consuming drafting operation may be initiated to draw water from a nearby pond. All of this may be unnecessary if F-500 EA is used due to the speed of extinguishment.

Finally, using less water means less water damage at the scene of the fire and probably no runoff into the sewer system or worse, local streams.  Rarely, would a diking operation be required.

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Man/Hours

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Time at a scene is critical.  If the firefighters are paid per call, it makes sense to finish the job quickly.  Even if they aren’t paid per call, delays on scene prevent firefighters from being available for other calls.  Time wasted on overhauls and rekindle callbacks waste time and money.  More time at the scene results in fatigue, which leads to injuries.

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Reduced Workman’s Compensation Claims

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F-500 EA doesn’t create a scalding steam like water.  Only F-500 EA creates a warm vapor which means firemen won’t be submitting claims for steam burns.  Less time at the scene of a fire reduces injuries associated with fatigue, such as tripping. F-500 EA’s ability to interrupt the free radical chain reaction reduces smoke and toxins, improving visibility.

Using F-500 EA will save your department money.

• Less agent is needed

• Less water is used

• Less time at the scene

• Fewer workman’s comp claims

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Suggested Operating Guidelines

SOG_F5_AM_#00-F-500 SOG Manual_V6

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We are the EXCLUSIVE Sole Public Safety Distributor For Hazard Control Technology's F-500 Encapsulator Agent for the entire state of Virginia and West Virginia. Contact us today to schedule a FREE informational presentation and product demonstration for your department! We love questions and we love showing the capabilities of the product! We also offer on site product training and SOG implementation.