Partners develop specialty response vehicles for LIB fires

Full Circle Lithium Corp. (FCL), a lithium-ion battery (LIB) firefighting agent manufacturer headquartered in Toronto, recently conducted several large LIB fire demonstrations with partner US Fire Pump Co. LLC (USFP) using FCL’s LIB fire extinguishing agent, FCL-X.

The collaboration has culminated in the creation of two emergency response vehicles, the lithium response vehicle (LRV) and the lithium response trailer (LRT), to efficiently and effectively apply FCL-X in commercial, municipal and industrial settings as well as potential use for first responders.

According to FCL, the LRV was developed to enhance the response to LIB fires. The LRT offers a different application variant to provide more flexible coverage based on response needs. FCL says both platforms are designed for municipal, commercial and industrial settings and ensure the efficient application of the FCL-X suite of products.

The partners recently collaborated on a demonstration at a major automotive manufacturing facility and successfully extinguished one electric vehicle (EV) fire and two EV battery fires using the LRV and LRT. In particular, FCL says its FCL-X ProMax LIB extinguishing product was highlighted during the demonstration and, when batch-mixed win the booster tanks, quickly suppressed the thermal runaway and extinguished the EV and battery fires, which had been provided by the auto manufacturer, while maintaining a 30-gallons-per-minute flow rate.

“The partnership between FCL and USFP is gaining momentum in delivering FCL-X products into the hands of end users,” FCL founder and CEO Carlos Vicens says. “With the introduction of the LRV and LRT, we believe we not only have an edge on the agent itself but also have a competitive edge over any other players in the industry on how the product is applied in real-life situations.”

The LRV is mounted on a Ford F550 four-door crew cab chassis and features multiple compartments and a heavy-duty flatbed steel body. Additionally, it includes:

• a 500-gallon booster tank capable of batch mixing with FCL-X Pro or ProMax;
• a 200 gallons-per-minute pump powered by an independent motor, enabling pump-and-roll capabilities;
• multiple rear supplementary discharges (in 1.5- and 2.5-inch sizes) and one preconnected 1-inch hose reel; and
• full emergency lighting and a front-mounted winch for enhanced versatility

The LRT includes:

• a 535-gallon booster tank designed for batch mixing with FCL-X Pro or ProMax;
• a 200 gallons-per-minute pump driven by a 19-horspower independent gas motor, providing pump-and-roll functionality;
• two 1.5-inch discharges for flexible fire suppression;
• storage compartments for tools and hoses;
• a tandem axle trailer with a 4,000-pound GVWR bumper pull configuration; and
• manual four-corner stabilizing downriggers and a tongue jack for stability during use

Chris Ferrara, founder and president of Louisiana-based USFP, says the use of FCL-X products along with the LRT and LRV, demonstrates his company’s commitment to innovation and high standards in the firefighting equipment industry.

“Our focus is always on exceptional performance, using cutting-edge tools needed to tackle even the most challenging incidents," he says.