Counterfeit Fire Shelters

We recently received notification from a US Forest Service Equipment Specialist that there were counterfeit fire shelters for sale on a company called CPR Savers. As of February 24, 2023 the shelters were removed from the website and are no longer available.

"This same company contacted me around July 2023 saying they had shelters available to help with the pre/post 2006 replacement efforts. They provided me with a spec sheet, it is also attached. I have emailed the initial contact from CPR Savers asking if they know who the manufacturer is, if there is a distributor, and who it is as well as any documents that verify it was built to 5100-606B. I will share the information as it comes available.

 

First off, 5100-606B was released in March 2005 and has been superseded twice. The current revision, 5100-606D came out in 2020 and it’s predecessor, 5100-606C came out in 2011. Other differences are as follows:

Carry Case

·  Lighter weight (denier) nylon

·  No NFES markings on flap

·  No USE INSTRUCTIONS on instruction pocket

·  Danger label (used only by Anchor Ind.) sewn on not heat pressed

·  Use instructions are different paper and printed single sided in English only, no Spanish on opposite side

·  No label sewn into main body/flap junction

 

HDPE Liner

·  Not present

 

PVC bag

·  Wrong PVC material

·  Red tear strip wrong material

·  Pull strap wrong sewn dimensions

·  No LARGE stenciled onto pull strap

·  Reinforcement tape incorrect

·  No paper insert label in bag

 

Shelter

·  Folded incorrectly

·  Wrong laminate materials

·  Shake handles not Kevlar

·  Shake handles not labeled “LEFT” and “RIGHT”

·  Stitch margins and gauge are incorrect

·  Wrong tape for binding and hold-down straps

·  No sewn in label

 

This is not an exhaustive list, just what is fairly easily identifiable."

See pictures below of the counterfeit shelters and a screenshot of the listing before it was pulled down.

These shelters have the potential to be lethal in a real emergency situation if they are used. This can serve as a reminder of why it is good to double-check your shelters before the season starts.