- Author
- George, C. W. | Johnson, C. W. | Hill, P. R. | Raybould, S.
- Title
- Lot Acceptance, Quality Assurance, and Field Quality Control for Fire Retardant Chemicals. Fourth (4th) Edition.
- Coporate
- National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Washington, DC
- Report
- NFES-1245; PMS-444-1, July 1992, 70 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- fire retardants | fire extinguishing agents | forest fires | quality control | acceptance tests | specifications | fire fighting | concentration (composition) | viscosity | salt | critical parameters
- Identifiers
- quality assurance; calibration; fire retardant chemicals
- Abstract
- Wildland fire retardants are evaluated in the laboratory and the field prior to agency approval for operational use. Proper performance requires that the dry or liquid retardant concentrate be mixed with water in the proper proportions and that the properties of the mixed solution remain within prescribed limits until used. To assure this condition, field personnel must have simple and reliable means of measuring the critical parameters. Quality of retardants in current use can be ascertained by measuring just tow parameters - viscosity and active salt content. Calibration tables have been developed for long-term fire retardants. Some of those included may not be approved for a specific agency's use as a result of varying policies. In addition to the calibration tables, descriptive information is given on each retardant formulation, sampling techniques, and corrective actions for situations where viscosity and/or salt content are not within acceptable limits.