FIREFIGHTING INNOVATION: THE ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS FITS ITS SITES WITH FOGA FIRE BLANKETS
The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (AMU) has decided to enhance safety in its buildings by installing Foga fire blankets developed by Walk on Water with contributions from the 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. Foga fire blankets represent an innovation in fire protection that improves fire safety. The blankets will be fitted in all AMU buildings, and multiple units will be available at workplaces where flammable materials are used such as the FAMU Studio and the Department of Photography of the Film and TV School of AMU.
“The safety of our students, teachers and employees is our utmost priority. When AMU’s PR section drew our attention to the intriguing Foga blanket project that involved Charles University’s 1st Faculty of Medicine, we opted to discuss testing and using Foga blankets at our specialised sites in cooperation with CPA/Reference Screening of the FAMU Studio, which handles highly flammable nitrate film,” says Ingeborg Radok Žádná, Rector of AMU. “The testing was a success, so we decided to procure the blankets for all school sites,” adds Bursar of AMU Tomáš Langer.
Nitrate film is a highly specific material in that it consumes its own embedded oxygen when burning. Since the oxygen is part of its chemical structure, this inherent feature makes nitrate film impossible to extinguish – it can only be shielded, isolated and left to burn out. The sites that work with nitrate film are subject to the strictest fire safety measures. Once the film ignites, the room is closed to prevent the fire from spreading and the fumes are extracted. Fire extinguishers cannot be used due to the chemical structure of nitrate film because they would only fan the flames and increase the risk of the fire spiralling out of control. By contrast, a Foga blanket manages to isolate the blaze, thus further reducing all risks associated with fire.
The fire blankets were tested in cooperation with the experts from the National Film Archive who focused on the specific case of extinguishing burning nitrate film, a highly flammable material that requires a special approach. “Working with nitrate film is a real challenge. We are happy that, thanks to our collaboration with AMU, we were able to verify the efficiency of our products under such extreme conditions, with Foga blankets used not only for extinguishing but also for shielding materials such as nitrate film that resist extinguishing. This experience has pushed us one step further in terms of fire safety when it comes to unextinguishable materials,” says Michal Jedlička of Walk on Water.
About Foga fire blankets
Foga is an innovative fire blanket that facilitates the safest method of extinguishing fire for non-professionals. It was developed by Walk on Water, a Czech company specialising in the development and manufacturing of modern and functional solutions in fire safety. Foga blankets are unique with their efficient and easy application, a high rate of fire extinguishing performance, and protection from thermal heat. They work as a cooling cover, oxygen barrier and thermal shield in one, capable of reflecting and absorbing 92% of thermal heat. They can tackle burning oil, electrical batteries and nitrate film. Equal to – and in multiple parameters better than – fire extinguishers, this product will help AMU ensure a safe environment for working with sensitive and difficult materials.
