Fire Training Equipment refilling help

[firecontrol]

Hi Guys,

Hope you are well.

Needed a bit of advice, so hope someone can help on this...

We are Fire safety company based in northwest, and are adding fire training to our portfolio of services. Delivering the service is not a problem, it is the live fire demonstrations that i have a cost factor issue with.

We would nor,ally use several extinguishers in the live demonstration, however not sure how to refill them after use.

We have someone around here, who can refill our co2's but non of the other extinguishers - however even the co2 refills are a problem due to sending them, and the delivery charge back - or we could keep around 4/5 for 4 training sessions or so and send them off together. But we still have the issue of the other extinguisher types.

Does anyone provide fire training? it would appreciated if you can share how you deal with the refills?

Thank you for any help.

Thanks.
D

[kurnal]

You need a partnership with a local extinguisher firm. We have such a relationship, we use their trailer and their extinguishers and return it  for them to clean down, recover and dispose of the used media and refill the extinguishers ready for next time. Trailer units are a bit of a pain to pull round from venue to venue but its the only way of recovering most of the media used.

[The Colonel]

As Kurnal said partner up with a local extinguisher company. I and a number of other trainers purchase extinguishers from a local company who supply use with ones that are due for discharge, when used we return for refurbishment. We pay a small cost per ext which is good because we collect full exts and don't have to worry about refilling etc. I only tend to use water and co2 so that we don't leave a mess, I will use foam occasionally but only if the client has the facilities to cope with the waste.

Alternatively if your are ok with refilling them yourself purchase the required bits and pieces including a compressor and refill the water yourself.

[AnthonyB]

Most fire training companies that aren't in the extinguisher trade that I come across have pool stock so there are always some for courses with the external service company taking empties and then bringing back recharged to top up the pool later.

We are fortunate in that being an engineer I can service and fill and we do enough occasional sales/service to justify trade accounts with suppliers and a trade CO2 filling station, plus we do enough disposals of surplus extinguishers for clients to keep us with full extinguishers at no cost a lot of the time.

We mainly use water and CO2 for mess and environment purposes and use gas cartridge waters as the trainers (several of whom are home based around the UK) can then fill them themselves. Co2 I keep a pool stock and if I go in person to the filling station can get small amounts filled whilst I wait, otherwise next day.

We do stock all types and for industrial customers have done proper 'live fire' stuff with foam, powder, etc.

They key is a good relationship with an extinguisher firm or the trade.

You could fill yourself if you stuck to one brand (as you would need to stock adapters, head wrenches, O rings & more) but would be looking at Nitrogen or compressed air cylinders as almost all makes work at a pressure higher than even the three phase compressors are designed to produce. Amerex are still 100psi, but you need adapters as they've finally dropped the Schrader valve from waters

[The Colonel]

Anthony, any idea of the costs involved in using the nitrogen with any equipment and is it easily obtainable

[AnthonyB]

If you aren't filling millions renting a N2 cylinder is prohibitive, but instead I get one on deposit (like Camping Caz) from Adams Gas.

£40 a cylinder, no rent, if you need a new cylinder it's just another £40 (probably gone up in price a bit since I last exchanged, but still good value) & you can get a large number of waters & foams out of that, a bit less economical with powder as you use more gas, but still cheaper than outsourcing it, you can save £5 an extinguisher and that's at TG trade rates for filling not retail.

[Oliver Austin]

Be aware that not all fire extinguishers are designed to put out the same types of fire, so please take advice and read the labels. If you have extinguishers among your fire safety equipment, make sure that the refill is not out-of-date and they do need servicing, if you want them to work on demand.

Fire blankets are also helpful in putting out fires and for shielding yourself from the scorching heat, if you have to make a rush through the flames to get outside and safety goggles are a great idea at this time, one which many people wish they had thought of before.

[AnthonyB]

Er...yes I think we know that! 

[nearlythere]

What are these extinguisher things anyway? There was me thinking they were for hanging your coat on.

[AnthonyB]

No, never................they are for propping doors open! 

[Midland Retty]

Theyre for having water fights with surely!

[nearlythere]

Theyre for having water fights with surely!

How could you have a water fight with a DP or CO2 for that matter? 

[AnthonyB]

CO2 fights are more entertaining..........points awarded for how well you can frost certain parts of your opponent......

[Midland Retty]

Theyre for having water fights with surely!

How could you have a water fight with a DP or CO2 for that matter? 

Well yes I have actually chummy - mainly due to a lack of fire extinguisher awareness training...I didnt realise a fire extinguisher with a black or blue band around it didn't have water inside... still... it was a good wheeze...