Testimonials

Kidde Fire Training

We are manufacturers of all types of Fire Training Equipment i.e. Fire Houses, Aircraft, Ships etc and use the Concept range of Smoke Heads and Smoke Machines, in particular the ViCount 5000, over the last 15 years.

We use the oil based smoke system which produces smoke that will not dissipate when subjected to heat unlike water based smoke systems.

The Concept units have proven to be very reliable and robust when operated and maintained in accordance with Concept operating and maintenance instructions.

We have installed around 500 units some of which have been in service since being installed 15 years ago.

We have found Concept Engineering:

• Provide excellent pre sales service
• Supply superior oil based smoke machines
• Provide excellent after sales service
• Provide excellent technical support
• Provide excellent telephone support 

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Bayou Cane Fire Protection District

Bayou Cane Fire Protection District, uses the ViCount Smoke generator in our training facility. We find that it produces vast amounts of thick simulated smoke for our search and rescue training evolutions. We also use it in combination with our live burn evolutions. We would recommend this product to anyone looking for a smoke generator.

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Ship Board Fire Fighter

Yes we are really happy with our smoke machine, it is used both for firefighting training and ventilation shutdown testing and it is working very well.

Again, thank you!

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Fireconsult, Sweden

"During nearly 20 years working with the firebrigade (Stockholm, Sweden) and as a Fire Consultant, I have never come across a better smoke machine that the Colt 4. 

The machine is light, easy to handle and it creates a tremendous good and realistic smoke!

THE COLT 4 SAVES LIVES!"

Hans Christiansson

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UK Fire Brigade

After using the Spirit 900 Smoke Generator and attending Concept's complimentary service and maintenance course:

"Concept offer a fantastic after sales service whether it be maintenance courses or queries - fully satisfied.  With my experience of dealing with Concept I find it difficult to see where improvements can be made as I feel 100% satisfied with the product, information and answers to any queries.

I feel that it gives a more realistic setting for difficult exercises, which improves the experience and motivation of students / crews.  The only other way would be to use obstruction masks that take the realism out of any training.

I would like to add, having worked with Concept over the last 18months I have found it educational and the staff are a credit to the company.  I would like to thank all the staff for the patience they have shown with dealing with my queries." 

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Surrey Fire & Rescue

"Reliability - We have three ViCount generators, two of which are at least 10 years old.  These are extremely reliable as is the new one.

Smoke Quality - Very good quality of smoke at all times providing excellent conditions within the fire house as required.

Running Costs - The amount of training provided from each drum is very good.

Sales Support - Always very good.  Whenever we have required assistance or advice there has always been somebody available to help. 

Just to confirm we are extremely happy with the service and support you provide!"  

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UK Fire Brigade

Reliability of Concepts Smoke Generators? "Outstanding - we have two ViCount's that are 12/13 years old and they are still extremely reliable - almost bullet proof!"

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UK Fire Brigade

"I have been working in BA for nearly 5 years.  Throughout this time Concept have always provided an excellent service and extremely reliable equipment!"

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Survival Systems Training Limited

"Just a quick note to let you know how we feel about the Concept smoke machine we have used since 1999.  We are a safety and rescue training company that uses your unit in our live fire trainer.  I have yet to encounter a unit like Concept's that consistently delivers realistic smoke that does not layer and sticks around when you add heat."

Dartmouth, NS. Canada 

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Graham Law - Head of Technical Services

"With our Spirit 900 having been in heavy use for two years we found ourselves requiring a rapid full service to fulfill a critical last minute schedule.

With less than 24 hours notice I was invited to the factory workshop where Kerry who was waiting for my arrival & had dropped everything to assist me, stripped down and serviced the unit whilst providing hands on training for myself.

Customer care like this is well above and beyond the normal and a very rare thing these days. 

Well done chaps from a happy customer." 

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East Sussex County Council

"I was very impressed with the smoke generators provided by Concept Engineering and feel they could be confidently recommended at our group meetings to other tunnel operators who may be contemplating an emergency exercise.

The reaction of the tunnel environmental control system visibility sensors to the smoke was excellent, not only did the fans cut in but the volume of smoke was such that it immediately tripped a high level alarm which additionally sends a signal in the form of a general alarm to the Sussex Police Headquarters.  Had the smoke been generated by a real incident the alarm would have alerted the Police to the problem in the tunnel probably before a call was made from a tunnel emergency phone." 

After Operation Orpheus - Dartford Tunnel 

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Orange County Fire Authority

"We have used the two Spirit 900 smokes machines every day for the past two months during our "Rapid Intervention Crew" training.  Both machines have proven to be very reliable and produce quickly the required volume of smoke.  I would highly recommend these machines for any fire department use in any application."

Assistant Fire Training Officer

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Bekonscot - Managing Director

For several years we went through numerous smoke generators to simulate a "burning building", an important feature in our presentation.  Although the effect produced was good, the reliability, servicing and running costs of the system were always a headache, with smoke machines sometimes lasting a few weeks before they failed.

In June 2000, on recommendation, we contacted Concept Smoke Systems regarding the smoke installation.  A ViCount system was installed and commissioned later that year and has been operating without failure ever since!! Smoke chemical consumption has fallen dramatically, serviceability has been 100% and the effect is as impressive as ever.  Minimising issues relating to maintenance, and maximising reliability has given all of our visitors (some 200,000 per year) the benefit of seeing the smoke effect.

We wouldn't hesitate to recommend these systems to other users who need reliable and cost-effective smoke! 

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North Tree Fire

After using the Concept ViCount smoke generator in a hot fire training centre: 

"The training and experience those fire fighters receive in the intense hear and disorienting smoky environment the ViCount helps to create has without question saved lives and injuries as well as million of dollars of property damage that may have occured with the level of training the ViCount helps provide."

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Flagship Training, UK

We have used the machines "in anger" aboard ex Sir Galahad with the Brazillian Navy.  We have been more than impressed with the performance in both small and large spaces onboard.  As one of my team has just told me "They are really great - they do exactly what it says on the tin!".

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Warsash Maritime Academy

"We have always found that one of the most effective ways to recreate the sort of conditions caused by a fire, either on a ship or off-shore structure, is by adding safe, artificial smoke.  Cadets sometimes think they can remember escape routes but when they are confronted with almost no visibility due to the thickness of the smoke, they realise just how disoriented you can become.  The Academy has used Colt's for years now and we have always been more than happy with the way they perform and the service we receive from Concept Smoke Systems!"

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UK Fire Brigade

After using the Colt 4 Turbo and Spirit 900 smoke generators and attending Concept's complimentary preventative maintenance course:

"We use smoke generators for fire simulations and positive pressure ventilation training for approx 10 hours per week.  The Smoke adds realistic conditions for Fire Fighters to train in but with safety in mind.  This has been a very useful course, full of practical information and help for the maintenance and operation of the smoke generators.  It was a very useful opportunity to meet the company and to have face to face contact.  Everyone was very helpful."

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Building Envelope Technologies Ltd

"We have been using the ViCount unit now for some time as our main method of generating smoke for air leakage path identification as part of building airtightness tests.

The speed at which the unit builds smoke is very impressive and consistently in line with the guidance given by yourselves.

The nature and density of the smoke produced proves very effective when observed from outside the building giving sufficient time for and allowing easy observation of emerging smoke and leakage paths. The very persistent effect has allowed us to test buildings with volumes up to 40,000 m3 with just two units.

The very dry nature of smoke (i.e. small particle size) has meant that there have been no instances of contamination of the buildings following the test.

We have found the continuing technical support provided by Concept to be prompt and effective in answering queries and allowing us to get the most out of our equipment." 

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US Navy

Following the operational assessment of the Concept Colt and Spirit smoke systems on board 4 US Navy vessels and at the Fleet Mine Warfare Training Centre, justification for their use was issued, and the USN reported that:

"Responses were highly favourable regarding the performance of these smoke generators"

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Confined Space Rescue Program Manager - North Tree Fire

ViCount use in Hot Fire Trainer

The machine has performed flawlessly up to this point and I purchased the machine from you at least six or seven years ago.

I have to confess I have never cleaned the orifice with the drill as you mentioned.

Actually, after the install, I have never worked on the machine again which, I am sure, is at least neglect on my part.

We originally had two smoke generators in the trainer, one fore and one aft.   The other machine (not Concepts) is quite a bit older
and it quit about two years ago but we found that the ViCount generated so much smoke we did not really need two machines.

The machine is protected from the heat of the trainer by a bulkhead with a port for the smoke to get through.

To give you an idea of the efficiency and quantity and the character of the smoke, the ceiling temperature inside the trainer as verified by two gauges reaches about 1300 degrees F. The smoke level inside the trainer is maintained quite adequately from the floor to about the
four and one half foot level but not much higher due to the temperature. We have found that it burns off at about 450 degrees F (230C).

Your smoke machine has trained hundreds of line Firefighters from all over the US including from major metropolitan Fire Departments such as Los Angeles County Fire, Pasadena Fire, San Jose Fire, Las Vegas Fire, Oakland Fire, Berkeley Fire, Sacramento Metro Fire, Cal Fire, and many federal agencies as well.

The training and experience those fire fighters receive in the intense heat and disorientingly smoky environment the ViCount helps create has without question saved lives and injuries as well as millions of dollars of property damage that may have occurred without the level of training
the ViCount helps provide.

Thank you for your help and support.

Best regards,
Mitch

Mitch Ward CIHM
NorthTree Fire
Confined Space Rescue Program Manager

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BAA, UK

Feedback on the smoke oil used in the fire training rig:

"The oil produces a first class finished product, the level can be extremely dense and when managed properly can produce an extremely realistic smoke leve.  The visibility can be totally obscured and with some decent venting, it can be taken down to a whisper - it is also extremely clean".

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BA Facility, Surrey Fire & Rescue Service

Observations on Concept ViCount smoke system:

"Reliability - we have three ViCount generators, two of which are at least ten years old.  These are extremely reliable as is the new one, we rarely have problems with them.

Smoke & running costs - very good quality of smoke at all times providing excellent conditions within the fire house as required.

Running costs - the amount of training provided from one drum of smoke oil is very good.  Due to the quality of smoke provided, the generators do not need to be on as long now as we have three.

Sales/support - always very good.  Whenever we have required assistance or advice, there has always been somebody available to help.  When we had a problem with a blocked filter, we simply made one phone call and this was dealt with quickly and efficiently."

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Atomic Weapons Establishment

Following technical assistance provided by Concept to AWE appertaining to in situ HEPA filter testing

"May I take this opportunity to thank you for the service provided by Concept to AWE relating to the above subject,in relation to any technical queries that we have, the guidance given has proved to be of much use to both the previous and current management"

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US Coast Guard

Following a smoke training exercise on board the USNS Regulus, a crewmember firefighter was quoted:

"That was unbelievable down there. I couldn’t see a thing. I was completely disorientated. I thought I knew where everything was located, but now I realise I only had a vague awareness"

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Simulation

Following the installation of a smoke system for a UK county fire brigade, Simulation’s technical director commented:

"I would have no hesitation in recommending your company to other potential users who are interested in considering smoke systems. Your assistance and advice was invaluable, and the end result has more than met expectations"

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Royal Air Force

Following the development by Concept of a sub micron smoke system running off the aircraft power supply, for the purpose of leak testing large volume aircraft.

The resulting report noted:

"With the visual aid of white smoke emitting from leakage areas, this was a quick and easy task to accomplish (< 10 minutes)."

It went onto conclude:

"Use of smoke as a means by which to detect cabin pressurization leaks has been shown to be extremely effective and is unquestionably superior to any alternative detection method used to date."

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Laing

Following an urgent hire request to verify smoke extraction systems:

"Many thanks for your quick response to our last minute request for assistance – As you will be able to see (enclosed CD) the machines worked very well indeed!"

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