Fire Chief John Berg reports that the Fridley Fire Department along with four other Minnesota fire departments and two Wisconsin fire departments have been selected by EarthClean Corporation of Minneapolis to try their new firefighting product, Tetra-KO. Thus far the product along with training assistance and consultation has been provided free of charge and has been used on six different occasions with great success.

 Tetra-KO's principal ingredient is corn starch. It along with other biodegradable ingredients are used to form a gel that, when mixed with water, turns to a liquid and then back to a gel as it sticks on impact with its targets. The product requires the use of ten times less water than would normally be used to knock down a fire. It also puts out the fire ten times more quickly than water alone. It does this by instantly sticking to a burning material and instantly suffocating the flames.

 Unlike other foams or water. The Tetra-KO mixture is directed toward the fire in short spurts rather than a continuous stream. It requires no special nozzles or other special equipment and can be used after minimal firefighter training. In addition to putting out fire quickly, it enables firefighters to have much quicker access to the areas where the fire originated.

 Yet another advantage to Tetra-KO is that it is very environmentally friendly. It requires less water, is biodegradable and non-toxic to fish, plants or mammals. While it may not be used in Class B fires (those involving gasoline and other flammables), it may be used in fire extinguishers and has been used with great results in fighting wildfires as well as structural fires.

 It is mixed with water stored in fire engines at a .7% ratio. After about a month, however, it will biodegrade and is not re-useable. Not knowing the cost, Chief Berg is uncertain, at this point, how the separation factor will impact his cost of fighting fires. While the cost factor has yet to be defined, Chief Berg's overall satisfaction level with the new product is quite high. He reports that, in addition to its superior fire suppression performance, it reduces the amount of water required to fight fires and therefore greatly reduces water damage to structures. Additionally, unlike other firefighting gels, it is not slippery and is much safer for firefighter use.

 If you have questions or comments, please direct them to Chief John Berg at bergj@ci.fridley.mn.us.