Performance of Special Extinguishment Agents for ... - UL.com

Issued: September 30, 2008
there are standards for wetting agents (NFPA 18) and Class A foams (NFPA 1150), these
standards do not provide a test protocol for evaluating the suppression capabilities of these
agents for content fires in structures.
USFA fire statistics for 2005 report that more than 50% of firefighter fatalities occur from
firefighter stress and overexertion. 3 Heat and smoke exposure are significant contributors to
stress and overexertion. As a result, many fire departments are considering the use of special
extinguishing agents such as wetting agents and Class A foams that have the potential to quickly
and effectively extinguish fires than by using water alone. The consideration being that faster
extinguishment can reduce the heat and smoke exposure to the fire fighter.
Previous research conducted by NIST 4 showed that some water additives are able to extinguish
fires more effectively for small quantities of individual fuels (e.g., wood, rubber tires). Previous
research conducted by UL for the U.S. Department of the Army, the USDA Forest Service, and
the National Fire Protection Research Foundation were inconclusive in assessing the
effectiveness of Class A foams compared to water in suppression of structural fires.
This project begins to fulfill the need to conduct research to develop empirical data in
determining the effectiveness of water additives using fire fighting equipment and tactics (e.g.,
nozzle selection, water flow rates) as compared to water for full-scale structural fires. Currently,
there are no performance test standards to establish performance requirements for these products
as they relate to large scale structure fires. Thus, fire departments do not have an objective
method to assess the selection of these agents for their use in fire fighting. This is significant as
improper selection (where the agent may not perform as anticipated based on manufacturer
claims) may increase the fire fighter’s exposure to heat and smoke hazards.
The testing documented herein evaluates the performance and effectiveness of special
extinguishing agents in firefighting of structural fires. The project evaluates the fire performance
of various special agents including wetting agents and Class A foams and compares these with
the performance of a baseline, traditional water application. The data collected and the video
recordings from these tests have been used to design and construct an educational course using a
stand-alone web-based training module approach that can be disseminated to fire services
nationwide.
A series of fully instrumented fire tests were conducted using a fuel package that has been
designed to simulate a living area to evaluate the effectiveness of each extinguishing agent in
controlling post flashover fires. Additionally, the temperature and smoke environment
experienced by the firefighter was evaluated to determine safety conditions when special agents
were used. Each of the agents were evaluated as applied through two different discharge
patterns.
3 USFA [2006]. Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2005, Arlington, VA; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Fire
Administration. FA-306/Jul 2006
4
Dan Madzrykowski, David Stroup, Demonstration of Biodegradable, Environmentally Safe, Non-Toxic, Fire Suppression Liquids,
NISTIR 6191, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U. S. Department of Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, July
1998.
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