Retardant???

Reading up on some wildland firefighting stuff, I came across a word that I, of course, have heard before.
It's the red stuff that airplanes drop onto wildland fires (and by the way, you DO NOT want to be in the path of it if you see it coming.) What's it called? Retardant.
I know this may sound squirrely, but I almost want to do some advocacy for this word to stop being used for the material that planes drop onto forest fires. Yes, I do know that flame retardant is, of course, essential in the case of a large-scale fire. But the word? Could they think of something else to call it, maybe?
I would be interested in knowing if there are any wildland or aerial firefighters who have loved ones with intellectual disabilities and if so, what do they think about "fire retardant?" Should we try to brainstorm another word to call it? I, for one, must admit that it makes me somewhat uncomfortable to hear. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME INPUT ON THIS!!!
 
Pet's name: Hope Is Never Lost
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