I use Amerex extinguishers, have them serviced every couple years from a local fire ext sales and service co. 5 pounders in my trucks, 10 and 20 pounders in my shop and at home. I have had an electrical fire in my truck while driving, under the dash near my feet, pulled over and used the extinguisher. Have had to use the extinguishers at work also. Had some employees in the shop jumping a truck with a dead battery, went out to check on them and they had cables hooked up and one truck charging the dead battery, they started another task and were not paying attention. When I came around the corner the vehicle being jumped had the battery burst and started flaming, grabbed the 10 pounder on the wall and it was out in a second. They had the jumper cables hooked up backwards. I always have plenty of extinguishers around after those 2 incidents.
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Fire Extinguishers in our MVs
- Thread starter ARYankee
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FireIce is probably a good product, but for most people Dawn or Joy is much easier. I've put out an engine fire with a water can before, and if I burn fence rows I always have one with me. It's great for old fence posts made of railroad ties because it can soak in, plain water will be repelled by the creosote even after years in the weather. It won't however put out a fully involved vehicle, but teamed up with others you can knock it down a bit.
You always try comparing the products before buying them. Prefer to shop them online.
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dry chemical fire extinguisher
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dry chemical fire extinguisher
Rifleman
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When i was a young man i use to work for Southwest Fire equipment company, i was licensed by the City of Phoenix Fire Dept. to do fire extinguisher sales, inspections and hydro testing. I did training on portable fire extinguishers with the Kiddie fire equipment company rep. and he was the one who taught us to flip the extinguisher over, hit them on their bottom with a rubber hammer to loosen the powder.
So when we did the inspection of our customers dry chemical extinguishers we would flip them over and hit their bottom with a rubber hammer. We did this because as the Kiddie rep taught us, the dry chemical used inside the extinguisher is a very fine powder that when lose will almost flow like water up and out of the discharge tube inside the extinguisher, but over time that powder will compact into a solid brick and if you use your extinguisher with the powder in that compacted form you will get LITTLE TO NONE of the powder to discharge out of the extinguisher when you need it.
So yes, you NEED to flip your dry chemical fire extinguisher over at least once a year, hint the bottom of it with a rubber hammer to "un compact" the dry powder inside it. You will know that you have un-compacted the powder inside it because you will feel the powder drop to the other end of the extinguisher, and to just be sure, when you flip it right side up, shake it up and down until you start to feel the powder slosh around inside it. After that your good to go for another year.
Just as a side note, i can't remember for sure because it was almost 40 years ago but Kiddie or Ansel fire equipment company was the company who invented Purple K dry chemical powder used in our military truck fire extinguishers.
So when we did the inspection of our customers dry chemical extinguishers we would flip them over and hit their bottom with a rubber hammer. We did this because as the Kiddie rep taught us, the dry chemical used inside the extinguisher is a very fine powder that when lose will almost flow like water up and out of the discharge tube inside the extinguisher, but over time that powder will compact into a solid brick and if you use your extinguisher with the powder in that compacted form you will get LITTLE TO NONE of the powder to discharge out of the extinguisher when you need it.
So yes, you NEED to flip your dry chemical fire extinguisher over at least once a year, hint the bottom of it with a rubber hammer to "un compact" the dry powder inside it. You will know that you have un-compacted the powder inside it because you will feel the powder drop to the other end of the extinguisher, and to just be sure, when you flip it right side up, shake it up and down until you start to feel the powder slosh around inside it. After that your good to go for another year.
Just as a side note, i can't remember for sure because it was almost 40 years ago but Kiddie or Ansel fire equipment company was the company who invented Purple K dry chemical powder used in our military truck fire extinguishers.
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two.fiveM35
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Great tip Rifleman, I recall my dad telling me that many years ago.
BigWill1985
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With the warm weather season here in full force, it's worth reiterating the information in this thread. Keep your damage control gear in good shape, so it's ready to use if and when you need it. I have personally never had to use any of my own dc gear, but I make sure I have them no matter what. Do a once-over on all of your fire extinguishers. Verify that they are still in good physical shape, and make sure the gages on your extinguishers still show a safe charge. Also, make sure that the hoses are still in good shape (no cuts, cracks, breaks), and do as Rifleman said above if you have a dry chemical fire extinguisher (flip it over, and strike it with a mallet to free up the extinguishing agent).
In the military, we check all fire extinguishers monthly. In reality, it's only necessary once a year unless they are in very detrimental locations (exposed to the weather, in high moisture areas, or in areas of high heat or cold).
Stay safe, guys!
~Will Courtier~
In the military, we check all fire extinguishers monthly. In reality, it's only necessary once a year unless they are in very detrimental locations (exposed to the weather, in high moisture areas, or in areas of high heat or cold).
Stay safe, guys!
~Will Courtier~
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I put 10 Pound ABC in the M35 , 5 pound ABC in the M37 . Good tip on smacking the extinguisher every year to keep the chimerical from packing . I also have first aid kits in all the vehicles . I picked up Military first aid kit's at a show and they are good little first aid kits . I also keep a warning vest to wear at night after a FLAME OUT , plus each MV has warning triangles. I like the idea of a pressurized water extinguisher , easy refill , air it up right from your MV air .
glcaines
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The only fire I've had in an MV was a tire fire. It ended up being extinguished by a water extinguisher by the FD. Water extinguishers are preferable for tire fires.
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Tire fires on trucks are hard to put out with just one water can. By the time they catch fire, there's a lot of heat stored up in the rim an hub that can cause reignition. You can use dry chemical, just use it first to knock down the flames, then use water to cool the tire. I'd use 2 or 3 if I could just to cool everthing down, ESPECIALLY if the tire had not burst. There's always the chance of pyrolosis, decomposition and fire inside. And never stand directly in front of the tire while trying to extinguish it in case it blows.
And as an FYI, if you ever encounter a LARGE tire on fire on something like a large loader or scraper, back off and let the fire dept. use a hose line, those things practically detonate when they blow!
Jeepsinker
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I keep abc extinguishers everywhere since about three months ago. One o clock in the morning, real bad thunderstorm, pouring rain. My neighbor works nights and only his wife and three very young children were home. Lightning hit the house and caught the wiring in the kitchen wall and the digital stove head panel on fire. Grabbed my gas mask and my ten pounder, jumped in the jeep and got there fast as I could. Cut the power and went inside and got lost several times before I even found the kitchen. Pretty scary stuff. Made sure nobody was still in the house, and put the fire out. One whole side of the room was at a slow burn. Cabinets and all. Opened up the doors once the fire was out and vented the smoke and the F.D. Showed up 45 minutes later. Volunteer fire department. I'm just glad I was here because they would have lost their home otherwise and they are good people.
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First off, it's great that you were able to help your neighbor. But on the flip side, you just about killed yourself in the process. Please don't think a gas mask is a suitable substitute for SCBA. While a gas mask MAY filter out some gases, it WILL NOT make up for the lack of oxygen. That can cause you to be confused and lost even more than you were. A couple of firefighters doing the same thing you did just got burned in Ky., one critically.
As for the VFD, maybe you ought to see if you can join to help them with response times. That way, at least you'd have the training and better tools for the job. I'm sure they'd love to have more help, It's always hard to find good people.
Jeepsinker
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Oh no, I know the difference between scba and a gas mask, but it was all I had and wasn't going to stand by and do nothing. Hope I never am in a position like that again. And yes, I was running short of breath by the time I got out. I knew exactly what risk I was taking with the equipment I had, but had to be sure there was nobody else left inside. Just a bonus that I put the fire out.
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Didn't the neighbor inform you if everyone was out?? Once everyone is out, it's just a house. I'm sure you're more valuable than a building. I still think you should see about volunteering with the FD, sounds like they need more people.
Jeepsinker
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No I was not informed that everyone was out. The woman and her children were all hysterical and couldn't answer questions straight. Their grandma also lives there and was nowhere to be seen. Turned out she was staying with another family members house that night. I have volunteered for the F.D now. Anyway, getting this thread way off topic. If you want to talk some more about this just pm me.
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We're not off topic, we're still talking about using extinguishers. Glad to hear you volunteered, you sound like you'd be a good asset.
Jeepsinker
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I now keep three purple k extinguishers, a 5lb abc extinguisher, and a halon extinguisher in my deuce under the passenger seat, and a ten pound abc extinguisher by my bedside. Had a dash fire in a 5 ton in my front yard two days ago. I've had enough of fire. Anyone that owns a Harsco 5 ton, make sure the blower is grounded well. They apparently find ground through the damper cable and set the firewall insulation on fire otherwise.
todds112
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I wanted to bring this back up. I need to get an extinguisher for my Deuce. I didn't see anything mentioned about using one for a run away engine. I was considering a CO2 extinguisher thinking (in theory) it could be used to stop a run away without destroying the engine. Opinions?
two.fiveM35
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There is a thread that was recently started on the same issue, http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?t=125810&goto=newpost
Jeepsinker
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Yeah that works with no problems.
RodUSMC1962
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A few years ago a friend was working on my tractor in the field close to the barn, would not start. He took off the air hose going to carb, hit starter, Flaming gas poured on dry grass under tractor. If I did not have fire extinguisher on tractor I would have lost tractor and barn.