FAQ

We have published a Tactical Medical White Paper and a stand-alone Medical Safety Report, both written by Dr. Bayne French.

The short answer is that we use CS in a sticky formulation that does not displace oxygen. Everything you knew about CS does not apply to Presidia Gel. The longer answer is that CS is a chemical powder impacts the human body in VASTLY different ways depending on how it is deployed. (Just like eating raw hamburger can make you very sick from E. coli, but cooked hamburger is perfectly safe.) It’s true that CS dispersed into the air as tear gas from a canister (with a flammable propellant and ignition system) is dangerous in enclosed spaces or indoors. It displaces oxygen and causes suffocation. The IACP says CS chemical agents in the “hot gas” configuration should be “used with caution” and deployed “only when avenues of egress are available to the crowd.” Presidia Gel is a cool liquid. It is deployed in a stream. It does not aerosolize, does not displace oxygen, and therefore is safe to use indoors or inside enclosed spaces.

Presidia Gel is a sticky liquid stream that delivers a full dose of concentrated CS for immediate involuntary eye closure and disorientation, as well as incapacitating pain within seconds. Traditional OC/CS sprays atomize and disperse into the air, delivering little CS on target. This drastically reduces any effect to the subject. This atomization also results in high cross contamination and the potential for oxygen displacement.

OC is oil based, and that is why it is so hard to decon. That is also why showering re-activates it. Reflex Remove decon neutralizes Presidia Gel on contact, so you feel cooling immediately. You can function within 2 minutes, and on average you will only feel minimal effects by 5 minutes. Full recovery happens within 15. Being sprayed for re-training will be very different for you.

The best practice and most common standard is annual certification or recertification on chemical agents from a certified instructor. Certification on Presidia Gel is done through Tactical Defense Training. With the increased scrutiny of LE training and use of force claims, we strongly recommend attending an instructor course, especially if it has been some time since any training on the subject was received by the agency. It is also recommended that officers be exposed to the chemical agent they carry. This not only helps the officers get a full understanding of the spray, decon, recovery, and use, but it also comes up in litigation and adds credibility to the officer.

Our label states industry standards for storing defense sprays (not below 32° F (0° C) or above 120° F (49° C). Testing has proven Presidia Gel safe in temperatures not to exceed 175° F (79° C) and is safe from freezing down to 0° F (-18° C). Presidia Gel contains no water or oils that thicken in cold temperatures. The ingredients and propellants of Presidia Gel are very resistant to temperature extremes. However, we suggest that it not be left on a vehicle’s dash or in direct sun.

Four (4) years from the date of manufacture.

Our inert training units in both duty belt and industry sizes prepare for rapidly accessing and accurately deploying live units. Paper targets are available as well.

We will 100% back the safety and efficacy of our products and our training in a court of law when its use is done in accordance with local laws, agency/company policies, and our stated guidelines. Click here to view the policy.

Presidia Gel was created to work on humans. While our product is not EPA certified, it is effective on dogs. For those officers who have K9 partners, if they get in the crossfire of our gel, they will recover within 15 minutes as the product naturally dissipates.

That is correct that traditional CS is corrosive when aerosolized, and most CS munitions also use black powder charges that are also corrosive to steel. The difference is that Presidia Gel does not act like traditional CS. Because our gel does not aerosolize and does not displace oxygen, it is also not corrosive. Presidia Gel can simply be cleaned up with our Reflex Remove decon, which is also non-corrosive. Simply put, everything you know about CS does not apply to Reflex.

Both the solution and aerosol will withstand hot and cold temps. Our water-based solution freezes at 28° F (and maintains its effectiveness when unfrozen) and the aerosol freezes near -70° F. Both will also last in extremely high temperatures, however, the nitrogen propellant in the aerosol will begin to break down around 180-200° F. The formula will still work, but the pressurization will degrade. We recommend replacing Reflex Remove when you replace your Presidia Gel at the four-year expiration date.”