New Water-look-alike Technology Fights Fire Without Causing

[x635 4,066]

....supposedly.

Was on Good Morning America this AM.

AND ON THE 8TH DAY, TYCO CREATES WATER 

By PAUL THARP 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

April 7, 2004 -- After the miracle mistrial of Tyco's tarnished former boss, the company is celebrating a miracle of its own - creation of a new fire-suppressing water that won't ruin anything. 

The odorless liquid, called Sapphire water, looks and feels exactly like water, except that you can submerge cell phones or laptops in a bucket of it, and all electronics will function perfectly without interruption. 

The wet stuff won't affect paper or hurt rare documents, antiques, clothing or much of anything else - and evaporates quickly without a trace or any environmental harm, says Tyco. 

Although the stuff is unsafe to drink, Tyco says the liquid suppresses fires and prevents combustion as well as, or sometimes better than, real water. 

The global conglomerate believes its new Sapphire water, which will feed fire-suppression sprinklers in sealed systems, can save billions each year from water damage. 

Tyco is unveiling its new product here next week as part of an ambitious corporate plan to rebuild Tyco's image in the aftermath of the greed scandal involving former CEO Dennis Kozlowski. 

Tyco shares have soared 121 percent in the past year after hitting a low of $12.84 last April at the peak of the Kozlowski scandal. Shares closed yesterday at $29.18, off 35 cents. 

 

[WAS967 97]

Come on. It's april. It's a little later than April 1st, but can this be a joke? Why do I have trouble trusting Tyco at this juncture?

[x635 4,066]

Heres the official Tyco press release:

New Water-look-alike Technology Fights Fire Without Causing Water Damage 

 

Tyco Fire & Security Unveils New SAPPHIRE? Fire Suppression System 

for Facilities with Critical Assets

NEW YORK, April 14, 2004 --Tyco Fire & Security announced today a 

groundbreaking advancement in fire protection technology with the 

introduction of its ANSUL® SAPPHIRE?  Fire Suppression System. 

This revolutionary technology utilizes a new sustainable* chemical agent 

that fights fires without causing any damage to electronics, works of art, 

irreplaceable artifacts and other critical assets. This system provides 

the ideal solution for hospitals, museums, libraries, telecommunications 

centers and other facilities seeking to protect critical assets that could 

be damaged by ordinary fire suppression systems.

The SAPPHIRE Suppression System uses 3M® NOVEC? 1230 Fire 

Protection Fluid. It looks exactly like water, but does not cause the type 

of damage associated with water when putting out a fire. It can be used to 

protect rare exhibits, electronic equipment and other delicate items 

without causing any harm. In fact, items can even be immersed in the 

agent. The fire protection fluid will quickly evaporate, safeguarding 

these items - and leaving them unaffected.

The SAPPHIRE Suppression System chemically interferes with the fire 

combustion process, therefore bringing it to a halt.  It also works faster 

than a water sprinkler system, which is designed to work when it detects 

an actual flame. SAPPHIRE Suppression Systems detect fire at invisible 

levels, identifying particles of combustion before they turn into damaging 

flames.

"The SAPPHIRE Fire Suppression System is a significant component of Tyco's 

holistic approach to fire suppression solutions," said Ron Krisanda, 

president of Tyco Safety Products. "SAPPHIRE is further proof of Tyco's 

commitment to innovation as well as our focus on bringing new technologies 

to market." 

SAPPHIRE Suppression Systems offer central storage and modular design 

solutions that can work in tandem with existing building fire alarm and 

suppression systems, providing ideal building structure protection. The 

agent is stored in pressurized containers as a liquid and vaporizes when 

discharged. When applied in a modular design, storage containers take up 

less space than other fire suppression systems, giving users more options 

for storage and placement. For example, by integrating the SAPPHIRE 

Suppression System into a current building fire alarm/suppression scheme, 

users can select key rooms or spaces to protect, making it a cost-

effective solution.

Other benefits of the SAPPHIRE System include an atmospheric lifetime of 

only five days, versus 33 years for the closest chemical alternative, as 

well as zero ozone depletion. In addition, the SAPPHIRE Suppression System 

offers the greatest safety margin over other non-sustainable halocarbon 

alternatives. 

"The SAPPHIRE Fire Suppression System not only eliminates the issue of 

massive water damage but also greatly reduces actual fire damage by 

suppressing a fire in the pre-combustion stage," said Dave Pelton, 

director, marketing, Tyco Fire & Security. "It is sophisticated, flexible, 

and engineered to be safe for people, products and the environment."

The SAPPHIRE Fire Suppression System complements the ANSUL INERGEN® 

clean agent system. INERGEN and SAPPHIRE are part of Tyco's full portfolio 

of clean agent suppression systems comprised of inert gas and chemical 

agents. The SAPPHIRE Suppression System is available through Tyco's 

worldwide fire protection businesses in the USA, Canada, Latin America, 

Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For additional information on the 

Tyco Fire & Security SAPPHIRE Fire Suppression System, contact Tyco, Fire 

Suppression Products at (715) 735-7411.

*Not subject to global regulations pertaining to greenhouse gasses.

About ANSUL

ANSUL is the premium fire suppression product range, which is part of Tyco 

Fire & Security's Fire Suppression business unit. The full line of ANSUL 

special hazard fire protection products includes fire extinguishers and 

hand line units; pre-engineered restaurant, vehicle, and industrial 

systems; sophisticated fire detection/suppression systems and a complete 

line of dry chemical, foam, and gaseous extinguishing agents.  ANSUL 

products are developed and tested at the ANSUL Fire Technology Center, one 

of the most extensive fire research and testing facilities in the world. 

ANSUL products meet the demanding challenge of industry and commerce, 

including high hazard/ high risk markets such as aviation, mining, 

chemical and petro-chemical, utility and metal manufacturing/processing 

industries. For more information, visit www.ansul.com.

About Tyco Fire & Security

Tyco Fire & Security, a business segment of Tyco International Ltd., 

designs, manufactures, installs and services electronic security systems, 

fire protection, detection and suppression systems. With $11 billion in 

annual sales and more than 90,000 employees, Tyco Fire and Security 

includes more than 60 brands, which are represented in over 100 countries. 

Its products are used to safeguard firefighters, prevent and fight fires, 

deter thieves and protect people and property. For more information, visit 

www.tycofireandsecurity.com.