Fire extinguishers

Papa Thanatos · Post by **Papa Thanatos** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:59 pm

The survival guide mentions that fire extinguishers are a mandatory item, however i'm unclear if this means that a camp must have at least one or if each individual camper must have one.

Flying over from Ireland means I can't bring obe on the plane but I was planning on getting a small one in San Francisco. However this would add a signifcant burden to my load.

I'd like to point out that i'll likely be joining a camp with a few other people and one of them is likely to bring one, just trying to work out if I need one or not in this instance.

fenwick · Post by **fenwick** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:20 pm

Mental note to self - check fire extinguisher on RV....

If your a theme camp - and you plan and have been approved to have an open flame - kitchen or fire pit within your camp - I can understand why the need for an extinguisher be obvious.

If you are a solo camp - in unreserved spot - with no open flame, or grill - then no need for a extinguisher (opinion).

However - best to be safe then sorry.

Never know if someone upwind has a messy open fire, sparks traveling downwind a few yards and sadly the embers land on your tent or car - starting a fire - so I can see why a fire extinguisher be handy.

I suspect that any hardware store have several types and sizes to choose from.

In conclussion, follow your gut instinct. If something tells you to get the biggest one - hope you never need it. Then again - life would really suck if you bought a small extinsguisher and it ran out and your camp is still aflame....

Mosin · Post by **Mosin** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:56 pm

Great post. We bring several small general purpuse extinguishers for the RV (one should be accessible from the outside) and one large Kitchen One 2A-K for camp (like this: http://abc-fire-protection.com/flag-fir ... n-one.html )

I got it a few years ago so I'm not sure what the cost is these days, but better safe than sorry!

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:25 pm

> The survival guide mentions that fire extinguishers are a mandatory item

I'm missing that part of the survival guide. Can you tell me what page that's on and give a hint at the location?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 6:46 pm

Never a bad idea. Get an ABC one. (That's something like paper, gas and electrical--shit, I better look it up.) Yeah! I was right!
and the acronym is PASS--Pull (the pin) Aim (at the fire) Squeeze (the trigger) and Sweep (the base of the fire.)
links:
http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/
http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/using.html

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 6:49 pm

Mandatory fire extinguishers??

Sounds like bullshit to me.

I can say with some degree of confidence that you won't be turned away at the gate for failing to bring one.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:04 pm

phil wrote:> The survival guide mentions that fire extinguishers are a mandatory item

I'm missing that part of the survival guide. Can you tell me what page that's on and give a hint at the location?

http://www.burningman.com/themecamps/re ... guide.html

Only thing I don't recall from the past is the requirement for 5 gallons of water available (I guess that means in a bucket next to the burn barrel).

thirt33n · Post by **thirt33n** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:18 pm

...one of those things that are VERY important to have, sometimes.

do you wear your seatbelt?
do you own a gun?
are you one that likes to be prepared for most anything?
do you own a leatherman?

...i've not brought a fire extinguisher a couple times. this year i will have one and if i see your tent on fire it will be my gift to you to put it out.

mk-ultra · Post by **mk-ultra** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:56 pm

Not related to whether or not you *must* bring an extinguisher to BM... but I just thought I'd share my real world observations about extinguishers (having had more than one car turn itself into an ash-tray in real life).

Carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguishers are amazing. They make a very satisfying WHOOOSH... and big, billowy clouds of gas that knock down an absurd volume of flame in mere seconds. Then... to your horror... as the CO2 clears everything re-ignites from various hot spots and pockets of still volatile gases. Rinse and repeat until all of your shit is burnt to a cinder. CO2 extinguishers should play circus music while you use them... they're that useful.

Small dry chemical extinguishers are a little better. They don't look or sound nearly as cool as the CO2 ones... but you'll knock back the flames a bit. Then you'll run out of powder, and everything you own will be burnt to a cinder (minus the 4'x4' section of powder-covered area you've saved).

You should see the dry-chem (ABC) extinguisher I've got now. Those cute little 1 liter (or less) sized bottles are *useless* unless you catch a fire in the first 30 seconds.

Just my take on this. After watching a couple of cars turn themselves into piles of slag, I now opt for the, "holy crap" sized fire bottles.

Funky Monkey Mech · Post by **Funky Monkey Mech** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:09 pm

If it was not so bad for the ozone and if you could still find them i would say Halon.... Shit works great....... just make sure you don't inhale any of it or your going to be hurting..... Military still uses it for aircraft and hanger protection on the older bases.... our hanger still has halon systems in it.... and we also use AFFF( Aquadus Fire Fighting Foam) ... PKP powder works great as well...... and then we also have CO2 which like MK said looks cool but does not do so well...espicaly compared to the rest of them...

Halon 1301 on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halon_1301

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:09 pm

Fire EXTINGUISHERS at Burning Man??

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:15 pm

wedeliver wrote:
phil wrote:> The survival guide mentions that fire extinguishers are a mandatory item

I'm missing that part of the survival guide. Can you tell me what page that's on and give a hint at the location?
http://www.burningman.com/themecamps/re ... guide.html

Only thing I don't recall from the past is the requirement for 5 gallons of water available (I guess that means in a bucket next to the burn barrel).

Well, that's not the Survival Guide, and it is among "some recommendations if you want to help yourself."

This is the guide for theme camps, and it also suggests a well-stocked first aid kit and having theme camp members trained as rangers. The original poster didn't mention those "mandatory" items.

I'd still like to have Father Death tell us where he sees a mandatory requirement for a fire extinguisher. If there's a requirement, we should all be informed of it, at least.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:10 pm

CO2 extinguishers work well on chimney fires when applied properly. I think having a (ABC)fire extinguisher on hand is a good idea but it may not work so well if it is super windy.

mk-ultra · Post by **mk-ultra** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:57 am

motskyroonmatick wrote:CO2 extinguishers work well on chimney fires when applied properly. I think having a (ABC)fire extinguisher on hand is a good idea but it may not work so well if it is super windy.

Oxygen-displacement fire extinguishing works just fine... as long as you have a confined volume you're discharging the gas into... and you can keep it filled with the gas until things have cooled off to the point that re-ignition won't occur.

Works great in data centers.

Not so much when there's liquid fuel... open spaces... or a fire that's gone on long enough to get things really hot. If you only carry one extinguisher... make sure it's ABC rated.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:19 am

It seems to me that ABC types are not as effective as BC on automotive type issues and a real pain.
I can guarantee the last part.
Some do so much damage, you'll wish your car burned down.
ABC is great in house fires outside the kitchen.
They make halon substitutes now.
They are built into many cars - hold your breath and hit the switch.

Water works dandy on many fires.
A garden sprayer full should help on anything except a grease fire.

There are certain techniques to make each type of device more effective.

Papa Thanatos · Post by **Papa Thanatos** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:12 pm

[quote="phil"]> The survival guide mentions that fire extinguishers are a mandatory item

I'm missing that part of the survival guide. Can you tell me what page that's on and give a hint at the location?[/quote]

Hi Phil, its on page 3 of the 2008 PDF Survival Guide I downloaded from the main site. Just a bit confusing as one of the more recent Jack Rabbit speaks dealt with this and just said you need enough water on hand in your camp to deal with any emergencies, thats whats got me wondering.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:51 pm

> its on page 3 of the 2008 PDF Survival Guide I downloaded from
> the main site.

Yep, I see it. You must bring a fire extinguisher and common sense. Well, I see no use in common sense, so I'll leave that and the extinguisher at home.

You will not be turned away if you don't have a fire extinguisher and you won't be turned away if you don't have common sense.

I read it says 'you must bring,' and I agree it sounds mandatory, but the only thing I've ever been asked about is how much water we have. Don't give it another thought, Papa. If they demand a fire extinguisher, say that since you fly in Phil and Louise brought it for you and you'll pick it up from us as soon as they let you by. :->

Papa Thanatos · Post by **Papa Thanatos** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:56 pm

Thanks Phil, thats put my mind at rest somewhat. I did think it was a bit odd to ask everyone to have a fire extinguisher.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:26 pm

> I did think it was a bit odd to ask everyone to have a fire extinguisher.

Actually, let's everyone bring our fire extinguisher Saturday night, rush the man, and put out the fire! Paul Addis in reverse. Who's with me? SAVE THE MAN!

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:24 pm

phil wrote:> I did think it was a bit odd to ask everyone to have a fire extinguisher.

Actually, let's everyone bring our fire extinguisher Saturday night, rush the man, and put out the fire! Paul Addis in reverse. Who's with me? SAVE THE MAN!

LMAO! Oh that is a great one Phil, can you imagine the look on the face of the firefighters etc as everybody rushed the man, we gotta come up with a good war cry.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:31 pm

phil wrote:> I did think it was a bit odd to ask everyone to have a fire extinguisher.

Actually, let's everyone bring our fire extinguisher Saturday night, rush the man, and put out the fire! Paul Addis in reverse. Who's with me? SAVE THE MAN!

I'm there.........

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:37 pm

SAVE THE MAN !!! I'm there.
( I actully do have a fire extinguisher in my v.w. bus. It IS mandatory )

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:18 pm

Boijoy wrote:SAVE THE MAN !!! I'm there.
( I actully do have a fire extinguisher in my v.w. bus. It IS mandatory )

LOL, yes, it IS mandatory to have a fire extinguisher in a VW bus or bug!
I hadn't thought about it in a while, but the burned-out VW on the side of the road used to be a common sight! Amazing that 17 or 18 million of those things seem to be all but gone now. Wow... has it been 30 YEARS (ok, 29) since they sold them here? Holy shit. Time flies.

Fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers

Extinguishers