Good afternoon all,
Just a quick note re the Bullex gear. As a small training organisation for industry I bought both the gas fired ITS and the Hot Shot units. So far I have used both under varying conditions from the snow fields to inside heritage buildings. I got them because it is becoming more and more difficult to run environmentally friendly extinguisher training for industry, especially in the city environs. The old water & petrol trays pose too many problems with waste disposal and are unsafe from an OHS perspective, DCP makes too much of a mess (curiously people get upset when their cars are covered in powder) and in the city creates major problems with a dust cloud. Unless you are using Gas Safety approved equipment there are OHS issues. Having gas bubbling up from water is problematic unless you have an approved igniter/dead man's (person's) control.
To be honest, I prefer the gas fired ITS because of the real flames but there are some areas where it is just not possible to have naked flames or where clients do not have the available space. I can use the Hot Shot simulator in underground car parks etc.
From a Community Ed perspective they are excellent for a first attack education program. They allow people in industry (offices etc) to have a go at an extinguisher as long as the program emphasises the limitations of relatively untrained people attacking fires beyond their capabilities or their available equipment. The ability to dial up various types of fires does work and, unless they are using correct techniques the "fire" won't go out. The basic principal with any hand extinguisher doesn't change - PASS.
Sorry to be long winded but it may answer the earlier questions. I don't believe they can replace "real" fire fighter training any more than a gas simulator at a training college can replace the heat, smoke and danger of a proper fire.
PS. - my background- 25 years MFB, 14 years CFA Vol.
