Live fire extinguisher training from BullEx

BullEx introduce International Fire Buyer to their Intelligent Training System, providing a realistic training experience and viable option for public education
BullEx pride themselves in offering firefighter training on any scale and level needed. The training products they provide can be used for fire academy training, fire department training drills, large scale training sessions, but also focus on educating the public.
Designed with a unique flame-response technology that detects the trainee’s aiming and sweeping motion, the Intelligent Training System (I.T.S) from BullEx automatically varies the flame in response, providing a realistic training experience. Because the training extinguishers use readily available air and water, instead of costly dry chemical or CO2, multiple trainees can safely train in a single session.
The I.T.S. is a simpler, safer way to provide live fire extinguisher training to everyone in the community. Regular and annual fire extinguisher training should be offered as part of your department’s public education program and with I.T.S you can safely provide employers with OSHA-required fire extinguisher training at the workplace. I.T.S. is ideal for these training opportunities and more.
Features and benefits
Training made easy
The I.T.S. comes complete with everything you will need for fire extinguisher training. A field rechargeable air/water SmartExtinguisher® eliminates extinguisher recharge costs and the need to clean up dry-chemical after a training session.
Effective training
Extremely low operating costs mean you can train as many individuals as needed and train as often as you like. Select class A, B or C fires at four different difficulty levels to challenge trainees.
Safe training
The trainer can control the intensity of the flames and utilize the emergency stop switch on the handheld controller at any time. A motion sensor shuts down the flames instantly if the system is bumped or knocked, making BullEx live-fire training systems the safest live-fire simulators available.
Cost effective
Because there is no longer a need to discharge and recharge costly dry-chemical or CO2 extinguishers, BullEx live-fire extinguisher training systems are often more cost effective.
Clean
Uses clean burning propane gas to generate flame output with no cleanup needed of dangerous and hazardous chemical associated with actual extinguishers.
Trackable results
A visual display shows the time of each successful training session, allowing you to track the performance of trainees each year.
Reliable and durable
The I.T.S. System is constructed with stainless steel components and designed to withstand repeated use.
So how does it work?
The Intelligent Training System (I.T.S.) utilises patented sensor technology to detect how well a trainee uses a SmartExtinguisher® training extinguisher. I.T.S. can sense if the user has aimed at the base of the fire and is properly sweeping the nozzle of the extinguisher.
The four sensors on the I.T.S. unit detect the discharge of compressed air and water from the SmartExtinguisher. The on-board control system then varies the flames in response.
To successfully extinguish the fire, the trainee must aim and sweep the extinguisher across the base of the fire. If the trainee aims below or above the base, the flames will go down, but will not extinguish. If the trainee only aims at one side of the fire, that side will be extinguished while the other side continues to grow.
The SmartExtinguisher discharges compressed air and water which eliminates the need to discharge and recharge costly dry chemical or CO2 extinguishers resulting in a substantial cost savings. Because there is no limit to how many times the training extinguisher can be charged in the field, hundreds of trainees can be trained in a single day.
A trainer’s handheld controller selects the class of fire to demonstrate (A, B, or C) as well as one of four difficulty levels. Once set, the instructor presses and holds the ignition button and then it’s up to the trainee to actually extinguish the flames. The fire goes out when the trainee uses the proper sweeping technique. If the trainee is unsuccessful, the fire can be extinguished by releasing the ignition button.
The flare up button can be used to instantly reignite the flames at any point to further challenge trainees. The display on the controller shows the status of the system and how long the trainee took to put out the fire, or if the fire has even been fully extinguished.
CASE STUDY: LAS VEGAS FIRE RESCUE
Las Vegas Fire Rescue Tim Szymanski, Public Information Officer
One of the many responsibilities of the Las Vegas Department of Fire and Rescue is to provide fire extinguisher training and fire safety classes for businesses in the community. Due to an investment in BullEx® Digital Safety’s HotShot®, as well as the live-fire Intelligent Training System™, the department is now able to offer more comprehensive training to a greater number of people. Before using the BullEx systems, training was messy and time consuming. Often, we would have to exclude live fire extinguisher training from the class program, due to cost, clean up, and lack of space. When live fire training was used, it was done with a wastebasket and burning newspaper. This method allowed us very little control over the burn, which was potentially dangerous to us and the trainees. We could only offer live training to small classes due to the cost of recharging the dry chemical extinguishers and the extensive clean up. We were concerned about the impact on the environment, as the dry chemical discharge travels through the air, often coating nearby bushes and trees. Another dilemma was training people in how to put out different types of fires, as simply extinguishing burning paper is unable to simulate liquid, electrical and combustible material fires. Using BullEx Safety’s systems, we can now always include fire extinguisher training in a class. The ability to provide hands on training paired with the innovative system has greatly increased the number of requests for classes. We have had the system for less than a year, and already trained over 600 people, which is a considerable increase from prior years.
Upon researching extinguisher training products, we discovered BullEx Digital Safety. BullEx offers two training systems, the live-fire Intelligent Training System (I.T.S.) and the digital fire HotShot. Both systems work by giving both the trainer and the trainee control over the fire. The sensors on the front of both systems detect where the trainee is pointing the extinguisher, thus altering the flame accordingly. The instructor can also control when and what type of fire occurs, with simulations of different classes and levels of fires. Both systems can be easily and quickly set up, utilising water and compressed air extinguishers. The difference between the two systems is that the I.T.S. uses propane based live flames, and the HotShot uses digital flame technology. The advantage of the HotShot is that training can be performed virtually anywhere, in areas as small as a parking space, because there are no live flames. Previously, fire extinguisher training would have to be cancelled if there was inclement weather. However, using the HotShot, we can provide training indoors at any place there is drainage, or even outside during windy conditions. In addition, training takes much less time due to decreased set-up and clean-up time. We can also provide training on aircraft, oil and gas facilities and other places open flames are not allowed. Both BullEx systems offer training in class A, B, and C fires at different levels of difficulty, allowing us to provide better and more realistic training for our customers.
The benefits of switching to BullEx Digital Safety’s I.T.S. are undeniable. Aside from the initial purchase, there is barely any continued maintenance cost. Refilling the extinguishers is a breeze, as all you have to do is add regular water and air. In addition, the ability to provide training during all times of the year has greatly increased our productivity and allowed us to take on more clients. By marketing the BullEx system we have attracted new costumers and increased our client base. Set-up and clean-up time has also been reduced, often taking as little as ten minutes each. We can now train as many as 20 people in an hour, and still include a comprehensive fire safety class. Participants in the class pay closer attention because they are more involved in the training. This hands-on instruction makes a lasting impression with greater confidence for the trainee that the knowledge of extinguisher training will carry over to an actual emergency. I would highly recommend a BullEx system to any fire department, training company, or corporation due to the cost, time, and safety benefits it has afforded us and our clients.
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