Details

Cleaning your own turnouts saves time and money. But you should be testing them, too.

No doubt, regular and frequent “Advanced” cleaning extends service life and improves the safety of PPE. But is your critical moisture barrier up to life-saving spec?

Fire Departments that have invested in their own dedicated PPE Ensemble cleaning and decontamination facilities are at least starting to see the substantial benefits of doing this critical maintenance in-house.

Though mandated annually, regular and frequent “Advanced Cleaning” and “Advanced Inspections” of turnout gear, as defined under NFPA 1851, has been shown to extend the life of a PPE ensemble without diminishing critical fire retardant or moisture barrier performance. Gear that’s cleaned when soiled—kept free of the grit, oils, bacteria from perspiration, and the carcinogens and contaminants present in smoke—simply performs better, looks better, and lasts longer.

At about $70 per Advanced Cleaning and Inspection, plus the expense of back-up gear, and the typical loss of 4 years of service life, the cost of maintaining turnouts adds up fast. Add the very real dangers of wearing potentially contaminated or non-compliant gear, and doing less could actually cost you more.

Possibly a lot more.

From the makers of CitroSqueeze® PPE Cleaner. Hydro II™ gives you the rest of the cost-saving solution.
Sturdy, heavy-duty, all-mechanical hydrostatic tester does a single NFPA hydrostatic pressure test in 15 seconds
Lets you comply with NFPA required hydrostatic pressure testing of a garment in minutes—at the station or in the field—with simple hand-pump operation. No electricity is required.
Easier, neater, faster, and much more effective than the messy, less-comprehensive “puddle test”.
Effectively reveals the pinpoint leaks which can cause extreme steam burn injuries…yet may escape visual inspection or a puddle test.
Automatically adjusts for fabric thickness or a number of layers…to test a moisture barrier, a seam, or a complete section of the garment.
Intertek® Verified to perform Water Penetration Barrier Evaluation Testing in accordance with NFPA 1851 requirements

Per NFPA 1851, 2008 Edition on Structural PPE:
Even the smallest pinhole leak in a moisture barrier can cause serious steam burns…and makes turnouts non-compliant.
Will you find them before it’s too late?

The fact is, more frequent cleaning and routine inspection of turnout gear improves health and safety.

A proper moisture barrier test should be done frequently—not just annually. Departments doing their own Advanced Cleaning and Inspections, and doing it often, are reporting real savings—in time, money, and longer life from their expensive PPE. And because critical damage is usually discovered sooner, it means improved safety for the fire fighters who wear it. Can you afford to send a firefighter out in non-compliant gear?

Beats messy, less-accurate “puddle” testing in every way. Hydrostatic Pressure Testing is clearly preferred—and mandatory—under NFPA 1851.

While the 2008 Edition of The Standard allows departments to test their newer turnout gear with a bucket and a solution of alcohol and water, any indication of a leak requires the gear be immediately taken out of service and sent out for a more accurate hydrostatic test. But after its second year of service, hydrostatic testing of a turnout’s moisture barrier is required.

Hydro II™ reveals the smallest leaks…in just seconds. No buckets, no alcohol, no mixing, no mess. A quality hydrostatic pressure test of a PPE moisture barrier can reveal microscopic “pinpoint” leaks that may escape detection by even a thorough visual inspection or a non-pressurized “puddle test”. But these seemingly insignificant holes can cause critical steam burn injuries, and when discovered, will require PPE to be immediately retired—or taken out of service for professional repair.

Finding and repairing this damage early can help reduce potential injuries and potentially save lives. And because it’s always less expensive to repair a small tear or puncture than to fix a larger hole, the Hydro II can save money in a lot of ways.

With its small footprint, modest price, and real portability, the mechanically-operated Hydro II™ makes it easy and affordable for any department or professional ISP to perform this critical pressure testing in-house. Any time. In any location. At no additional cost—right from Year One. Without the mess and hassle of mixing and pouring a test solution…and waiting for a “puddle” to show results.

Because the Hydro II requires no electricity to operate, it can be set up practically anywhere you have a few square feet of working space. Many departments use a convenient shelf or countertop in their Laundry or Equipment Room.

Testing is clean, quick, and easy. With the tester in place and 16 oz of clean water in the reservoir (nothing else is needed), swing the clamp arm out of the way in either direction, and lay the part of the garment to be tested directly over the top of the pedestal, with the outer side of the moisture barrier face down.

Swing the arm back to center the ring over the test area, smooth out the test spot, and lower the clamp, pushing down on the handle to latch and seal the test ring against the moisture barrier. Because the flexible neoprene spring automatically adjusts for the thickness of the garment, you can test all the layers, or just the moisture barrier—of any brand or model of turnouts—without manual adjustments.

Just pump the bulb to reach 1 psi, and maintain pressure for the required 15 seconds…as you watch for any leaks or seepage inside the seal ring. Mark any leaks on the garment for later identification, and record the details on the Test Worksheet. Then raise the lever to release the garment. In a few minutes you can easily test the five different areas required under NFPA 1851…and be ready for the next piece.

The same Intertek® Verified NFPA tester used daily by efficient ISPs and forward-thinking Fire Departments across the USA. It belongs with your extractors, as it does with theirs. The American-made Hydro II Hydrostatic Pressure Tester has been independently evaluated and certified by Intertek, which verifies that its tests comply with NFPA Standard 1851 on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural & Proximity Firefighting, 2008 Edition.

Perhaps more importantly, this simple, portable system is proving an efficient, accurate, thoroughly reliable, and extremely cost-effective tool for PPE Service Specialists and fire departments across the country. They’re saving substantial time, money, and improving safety by laundering—and testing—their own turnout gear in accordance with NFPA requirements.

FEATURES:

Intertek® Verified to perform Water Penetration Barrier Evaluation Testing in accordance with NFPA 1851, 2008 Edition requirements
Saves substantial time and money—and improves safety—for the department that launders and inspects its own gear
Quickly and easily provides NFPA Pressure Test data needed to verify—and log—the critical performance of a PPE garment’s moisture barrier.
Sturdy, all mechanical hydrostatic tester does a single NFPA pressure test in 15 seconds
Lets you comply with NFPA 1851 required hydrostatic pressure testing of a PPE moisture barrier in minutes—at the station or in the field
Easier, neater, and much faster than the messy, less-comprehensive “puddle test”.
Effectively pinpoints the smallest leaks. Simple hand-pump operation. No electricity required.
Automatically adjusts for fabric thickness or number of layers…to test a moisture barrier, a seam, or a complete section of the garment without manual adjustments.
All-metal structure is welded together for precision alignment and industrial durability
Powder coated for a clean, tough finish that’s made to last a lifetime
Small footprint, light weight, and fully mechanical operation make this system easy to take, and use, almost anywhere
Extremely cost-effective when used as part of a program of regular and frequent maintenance
Requires only 16 oz of clean water to operate. No alcohol solutions, no messy mixing, no electricity
Made in the USA

Click to Download Operating Manual for more details and Sample Test Report Worksheet

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