Fire Extinguishers - Preparing for a Valid Threat

[DDTSGM]

I'm putting this is general so hopefully others can learn from my misfortune. Many of us somewhat obsessively concern ourselves with being prepared for the threat of an armed encounter while ignoring, or, not registering, other, more likely, hazards. I'm guilty of that.

Last Friday, while on the way home from a camping trip, my trailer caught fire.

I had just entered a section of passing lane and pulled into the right lane when another car pulled alongside and told me my trailer was on fire. This was surprising to me because not more than ten miles previous I had stopped and checked tires, etc. I immediately pulled to the side and discovered the beginnings of a small fire in the left wheel well, above and behind the left rear tire. At that point the fire was so small that I was surprised the other motorist had seen it.

The fire extinguisher was in the trailer, I didn't want to open the trailer door because that would serve to vent the fire if it was through the wheel well. My wife was calling 911 and another motorist had stopped and come running up, I asked if he had a fire extinguisher, no joy. At that point it became clear to me that I had to get the fire extinguisher from the trailer. We did so and shut the door. I expended the fire extinguisher and knocked the flames down a bit, but not out.

By that time other folks had stopped to assist, including a member of the county fire department who, unfortunately, had no fire extinguisher. Another guy in a company truck came running up with a 5 pound extinguisher and began to expend it on the fire. I asked him to hold for a second and ran to open the door and reach inside to activate the switches to move the slide out - thinking that it would be more likely to put out the flame if the slide had caught also. The slide didn't work, I ran back around and told him to use the extinguisher. It knocked the flames down, but not out. The FD guy told me the trucks were ten minutes out.

At that point I realized the camper was toast and that our CPAPS and 'travel' guns were inside the front of the camper. I went to enter the trailer, figuring I could crawl around the bed and get the guns and stuff, but my wife grabbed me and the black smoke pouring out also helped convince me it wasn't a good idea.

The truck was still hitched to the trailer and I went forward and began to unhitch. Thankfully another guy who had stopped to help came up and said we better get these propane tanks disconnected - I'm not sure I would have thought of that soon enough. He disconnected them while I unhitched.

The first picture below is right after I pulled the truck away, shut the tailgate and bed cover and returned to the truck to get my phone. Probably less than five minutes in.

77088

77089

77090

No one was hurt, it was gratifying to us that so many strangers stopped to assist, reaffirming that most folks are good people. The fire guys, the trooper, and the deputies, were all professional and empathetic. I had helped train the trooper and one of the deputies before I retired, so we also had a chance to catch up a little in the three hours we were at the scene, wish it had been different circumstances.

So, what did I learn:

1) The supplied fire extinguisher is too small, as should be obvious to anyone with one iota of common sense.

2) When towing, the extinguisher for the towed 'implement' should be in the towing vehicle.

I've ordered a 20 pound extinguisher for the truck, five pounders for each of the other two vehicles we drive and two ten pounders for house and next trailer.

3) We hadn't fire drilled the trailer - that could have been critical if the good Samaritan hadn't reminded me to get the tanks off.

4) 'Standard' coverage of trailer contents was insufficient. It would have been possible to file a claim under our home owners policy, but that would have resulted in the insurance company tacking on a surcharge, raising our rates. We decided that wasn't a good deal so ate the loss. Our agent projected that upping content coverage to $5000.00 on the next railer will cost us about $7.00 a month, we'll be sure to do that.

5) God is good. This could have been much worse, but he supplied folks along the way that helped.

Hopefully this can serve as a lesson to others.

[Duces Tecum]

Glad you and yours are unhurt.
Thanks for posting.

[Clusterfrack]

Holy shit, Dan! I'm sorry that happened--but glad you and your wife are safe. Thanks for the detailed account.

Did ammo from your guns cook off in the fire?

[TGS]

So sorry to hear this, Dan. Glad you're okay, and thanks for sharing your lessons learned with us.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Wow. So glad you folks are safe! Sorry for the loss!

[theJanitor]

Sad to see you lost your trailer, but glad to hear you're ok. Do you keep a spare CPAP machine?

As for the propane, I had a conversation with the County Fireman that does hazard assessments for companies in our industrial area, and he said as long as the vent's are facing up, it's ok. As the pressure builds in the tank, the pressure vent expels gas, which typically ignites but is harmless except for what's right above it. It'll continue to look like a flamethrower until the gas is expended. If the tanks are properly secured, staying away from them might be a good idea.

Maybe another FF can validate what I was told?

[blues]

Wow...really glad that only property was lost. Your wife is a smart lady.

[Lex Luthier]

Yeah, that's an eye opener. So glad you and your wife are ok.

[Risto]

Wow. I may have missed it but were you able to determine what caused it? Overheated brakes?

Which guns did you lose??

Glad you’re all ok.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder]

Super sorry to hear, Dan. Thanks for the reminders. I caught myself on fire today, but that kinda goes with my job. :p

[WobblyPossum]

Sorry to hear about your trailer. I’m glad you and your wife weren’t hurt. I keep a small extinguisher in my car but I don’t know if it would have been adequate for a fire like this.

[Navin Johnson]

OP great first paragraph. It is not fun or macho but a Suburban will likely save your life long before a firearm.

Glad everything turned out as well as it did.

[DDTSGM]

Holy shit, Dan! I'm sorry that happened--but glad you and your wife are safe. Thanks for the detailed account.

Did ammo from your guns cook off in the fire?

Yes.

25 Brennecke Slugs in a chest carrier plus 7 flight control 1B in the mag tube of an 870. Mag tube intact, shell carrier pushed down and back, melted magpul stock and foreararm.

30 rounds of 9mm - mag in an M&P plus extra mag. Melted frame of M&P, don't know if floorplates melted of mags or were pushed off by rounds popping, mag bodies pretty much intact.

I couldn't find my LCP.

ETA: I think the slugs in the chest plate melted down and burnt whereas the shells in the tube popcorned. I told the fireguys about the ammo and guns. Shortly after they started putting water on, what I assume were the nines started popping, kind of like the 4th.

[DDTSGM]

Sad to see you lost your trailer, but glad to hear you're ok. Do you keep a spare CPAP machine?

As for the propane, I had a conversation with the County Fireman that does hazard assessments for companies in our industrial area, and he said as long as the vent's are facing up, it's ok. As the pressure builds in the tank, the pressure vent expels gas, which typically ignites but is harmless except for what's right above it. It'll continue to look like a flamethrower until the gas is expended. If the tanks are properly secured, staying away from them might be a good idea.

Maybe another FF can validate what I was told?

Good info about the propane tanks venting.

No on the CPAP. Mine was less than 4 months old, my wife's was over five years old. Since hers was over five her health insurance is covering a new one. I had to buy mine, got it yesterday.

[willie]

I hate to hear this bad news. I'm glad you and your wife are ok.

[beenalongtime]

I had to put out an oven fire this week. Coworkers were freaking out. Staying calm, as it was small, I tried smothering it with a damp towel first. Keeping calm is the first thing (it is only stuff). Also, remember to check your fire extinguishers!!!!
They have a gauge for a reason, also tanks expire. And they are relatively CHEAP.
Also realized I need to have a fireman friend, come in an teach the kids, how to use a fire extinguisher. We did go over the where the shutoffs are.
Called that night and the fire extinguisher has been swapped.

[SoCalDep]

Having lost an RV trailer to fire but not nearly as personally I feel for you. When my trailer burned PF guys offered to send me some of the books I’d lost… If there’s a book or dvd or thing you lost that you miss let me know in a PM… I’d be humbled to pay it forward.

I’m glad it was only things but it still sucks.

[Darth_Uno]

Glad you lived to tell the tale. Good reminder that I need to check all my extinguishers at the shop and at home. Heck, I need to make sure I still have extinguishers at the shop and at home.

[CSW]

I'm surely glad you didn't re-enter the trailer in an attempt to recover the weapons.
Fire expands exponentially, and while you think you have time, alot of times you don't. Add to that the type of combustibles within the trailer, plastics, chip board, poly-bad-stuff foam in cushions and bedding...dare I say you could have perished from the smoke. As a firefighter, I've seen the results of folks who 'just had to get this', and ended up burned, or severe smoke inhalation.
Possessions are replaceable, you are not. You accounted for the weapons, so all is good.

So glad that you and your wife are ok, and you had the presence of mind to disconnect and get the truck away. Kudos on the propane, and again, you came away uninjured.

[Tensaw]

Wow. Glad things worked okay for ya’ll. I take it the hitch on the trailer was not secured with a lock so it was just a matter of pulling a pin to unhitch? I’ve read some discussions about the relative merits of locks versus pins on some RV forums and this exact scenario (trailer fire) is the argument for ease of de-coupling.

[BehindBlueI's]

Trailers are tinderboxes for sure. Glad the only loss is property.

[Welder]

One other thing I thought of, although not sure how applicable it is to fires in the general public. Besides the standard ABC grade extinguishers, there are also personally refillable water extinguishers. I own one of the big stainless ones (probably 40+ lbs full) that's sold to farmers for storage on equipment like combines and balers where dust firest from overheated bearings are more common than 'complex' grease or electrical fires.

When you use this type of extinguisher up, you're not out of firefighting capability if you have an air pump and a water source nearby. Mine will shoot nearly 30' in a very directed high-pressure stream for quite awhile before it starts running out of oomph. I use it if I'm welding in a grassy or dusty area, but I've also used it as a training tool for my helpers because it doesn't cost me anything to refill. They're more expensive and more limited than dry chemical extinguishers but in some circumstances are warranted.

You basically unscrew the head portion, hold the cylinder under a hose and fill to an internal fill line, reattach the head, and pressurize through a standard schraeder valve (like tires have) using the extinguisher's gauge to know when it's full. It could be refilled using a bike pump although I usually just 'bump' it with compressed air until it's full.

[Crazy Dane]

Sad to see you lost your trailer, but glad to hear you're ok. Do you keep a spare CPAP machine?

As for the propane, I had a conversation with the County Fireman that does hazard assessments for companies in our industrial area, and he said as long as the vent's are facing up, it's ok. As the pressure builds in the tank, the pressure vent expels gas, which typically ignites but is harmless except for what's right above it. It'll continue to look like a flamethrower until the gas is expended. If the tanks are properly secured, staying away from them might be a good idea.

Maybe another FF can validate what I was told?


This is mostly true and I will try not to get to long winded. Propane has a liquid part to it hence the full name of Liquid Petroleum Gas or LPG. LPG has a boiling temp of -44F. It also has a low vapor pressure and is why it can be contained in relatively thin tanks. This max pressure in the tanks is temperature dependent. Liquid boils, pressure increases, liquid quits boiling.

BLEVE - Boling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion aka Blast Leveling Everything Very Efficiently.

When the tank heats up the liquid will boil and pressures increase. The vent aka pop off valve, in most circumstances will do its intend function. When you start having direct flame impingement, the liquid can boil off faster than the POV can release resulting in BLEVE.

I was a LPG emergency/fire instructor until the state made it to difficult to maintain certification.



Dan you wife is smarter than you and kept you out of harms way, I'm glad you listened. Possessions can be replaced.

[Snapshot]

Wow. Glad things worked okay for ya’ll. I take it the hitch on the trailer was not secured with a lock so it was just a matter of pulling a pin to unhitch? I’ve read some discussions about the relative merits of locks versus pins on some RV forums and this exact scenario (trailer fire) is the argument for ease of de-coupling.

Sorry for the loss of the trailer and contents, good that nobody was injured and very good to read about multiple people stopping to help.

Tensaw's point about the lock is a good one, my trailer hitch is secured with a lock through the ball clamp when the trailer is parked detached from the vehicle, but when on the vehicle the ball clamp is secured with a pin that can easily be removed for emergency unhitching.

[Doc_Glock]

Thank you for the reminders and hard won education. Glad you and yours are safe.

[Dog Guy]

This is mostly true and I will try not to get to long winded. Propane has a liquid part to it hence the full name of Liquid Petroleum Gas or LPG. LPG has a boiling temp of -44F. It also has a low vapor pressure and is why it can be contained in relatively thin tanks. This max pressure in the tanks is temperature dependent. Liquid boils, pressure increases, liquid quits boiling.

BLEVE - Boling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion aka Blast Leveling Everything Very Efficiently.

When the tank heats up the liquid will boil and pressures increase. The vent aka pop off valve, in most circumstances will do its intend function. When you start having direct flame impingement, the liquid can boil off faster than the POV can release resulting in BLEVE.

I was a LPG emergency/fire instructor until the state made it to difficult to maintain certification.



Dan you wife is smarter than you and kept you out of harms way, I'm glad you listened. Possessions can be replaced.


A short follow up: the time to tank failure and BLEVE is also related to how full the tank is, and how fast the flame exposure happens. Full tanks have more liquid to absorb heat, so the metal shell doesn't reach the failure point as fast. Tank metal with no liquid behind it will fail faster. Flame exposure above the liquid line of a tank is more problematic than the same flame exposure below the liquid level. Even an "empty" tank has enough residual to ruin your day after the shell fails. And an intense fire with lots of rapid heating will fail a tank faster than a slow buildup if the rate of heat increase exceeds the ability of the vent to let it out.

I experienced a number of 1 pound bottle failures and they're quite the surprise when you don't know they're in the bed of the burning truck. I only remember one 20 pound tank failure. It was in the furnace closet of an apartment that was heavily engulfed. I mean, a guy's gotta use all the storage space he can when living the apartment life, right? That one went off about the time we were at the front door. It caused serious structural damage.

Regarding the ineffectiveness of the extinguishers: they work by breaking the chemical reaction that constitutes fire (for the most part). They don't cool anything or remove fuel. You have to get all the flame out at the same time, so to speak. If the tiniest flame remains, maybe hidden behind an obstruction, the fire will come back as soon as the extinguisher is no longer in use. Sometimes two extinguishers from different directions simultaneously will do what a single unit can't. And the previously mentioned water extinguisher has the advantage of cooling the fuel, plus getting steam into hidden areas that dry chems don't do very well. You just have to watch out for using them on fuel types that don't play well with water like gasoline, grease, etc.

We had a thread here about various extinguisher types and uses a few years back that had some good intel if anybody finds it.

[TQP]

Dan, thanks for posting this and I'm glad you're both OK.

Key pieces of knowledge I got from the OP:

Keep your extinguisher where you can reach it without going into the burning space. I see extinguisher stickers on semis and work/utility trucks, all on outside compartments.

When seconds count, the fire department is at LEAST minutes away. Even in my urban area, looking at some recent runs, 8-10 minutes is pretty good for our section of the freeway.

Being able to ditch the trailer quickly is a good thing.


My thoughts:

When we think we have a fire of any size knocked down, the next thing we do is to start tearing stuff up. We'll start tearing off burned/damaged stuff to make sure the fire isn't spreading behind it. This is probably not something anyone but a firefighter is going to be thinking about at that moment, but it's really important.

On the theme of breaking stuff, trailers are pretty flimsy, construction-wise, and you can probably breach them with what you're carrying in the cab. Might be an option to recover property without going in.

This is not a shot at Dan. You stayed calm, made good decisions, and accepted and acted on advice. That's about as good as anyone could hope for.


I'll defer to brother Dane on this, he's got better insight on this than me, but I'm pretty iffy about trusting the popoff valves on any tank stored out in the weather. That said, I've been doing this 30 years and I've never had a 20 lb tank BLEVE on me. Had some 1 pounders and spray cans do it. And it's not like people in my district aren't storing tanks in the closets...



I posted in the extinguisher thread (https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?34435-RFI-kitchen-home-fire-extinguisher) so I was able to find it.

[Outpost75]

This material is dated, but the basic info is good. Recommend that you contact your local fire department for current fire extinguisher training

Virginia RACES - Fire Safety Awareness Module - Rev. 28May03

Fire is the most common workplace and home hazard. Fire safety awareness enables us to be alert, well-informed citizens, who recognize danger, can notify the fire department, assist in building evacuation and know when it is safe to fight an "early-stage" fire. This unit was developed in cooperation with the National Fire Protection Association. The PowerPoint program http://www.ilpi.com/safety/downloads/fire_safety.pdf used to present this module includes copyrighted material used by Virginia RACES http://www.ilpi.com/safety/extinguishers.html with permission from Dr. Robert Toreki of Interactive Learning Paradigms, Inc., of Lexington, KY, who may be reached by email info@ilpi.com

Fire Safety Awareness Exam:

1. Fire is caused by:
a. Combining oxygen, fuel and heat, until they reach ignition temperature.
b. Carelessness with ignition sources and failure to handle combustibles properly.
c. Failure to follow proper safety procedures or to correct dangerous conditions.
d. All of the above.

2. The recommended procedure for home exit drills is to:
a. Discuss the family emergency plan, have two means of escape and a nearby meeting place to account for everyone and ensure that they are OK.
b . Test home smoke and CO detectors weekly, ensure exit doors or windows are not blocked, remove trash daily and maintain safe clearances from
combustibles.
c. Crawl low to avoid smoke, exit the door, and meet outside.
d. All of the above.

4. The minimum clearance for combustibles from heat sources is:
a. One foot
b. Two feet
c. Three feet
d. Five feet

5. Smoke and CO detector batteries in the home should be changed:
a. Annually, or when you reset your clocks.
b. Immediately, if the detector unit should fail during any "test" activation.
c. Every two years.
d. Both A and B.

6. The basic elements of fire protection are:
a. Knowledge of how fires are caused.
b. Exercise of good housekeeping, reporting and correcting unsafe conditions.
c. Learning and practicing recommended emergency procedures.
d. All of the above.

7. If vehicle cargo is on fire you should:
a. Stop off the roadway, open the cargo doors and try to extinguish the fire.
b. Stop at the nearest service station and call the fire department.
c. Call the fire department and follow their instructions. Do not open cargo doors.
d. A and B.

8. If there is a fire in the vehicle engine compartment, you should:
a. Call the fire department and follow their instructions. Do not open the hood.
b. Stop off the roadway, open the hood and try to extinguish the fire.
c. Stop at the nearest service station to call the fire department.
d. B and C.

9. If a vehicle catches fire during operation, you should:
a. Open the hood or cargo doors and try to extinguish the fire.
b. Stop in an open field or parking lot and turn off the engine.
c. Call the fire department and follow their instructions.
d. B and C.

10. If equipment catches fire during operation, you should:
a. Turn off the equipment.
b. Remove combustibles, if you can do so without endangering yourself.
c . Call the fire department, and get help to put out the fire, if you have the proper extinguisher available and have been trained how to use it.
d. All of the above.

11. If a co-worker's clothing catches fire you should:
a. Stop what you are doing, yell for help, and have someone call 911.
b. Tackle co-worker to the floor and roll them to extinguish the fire.
c. Use a blanket, heavy coat or carpet to smother the fire if available.
d. All of the above.

12. Before opening a door you should:
a. Feel for heat, palms out, close to, but not touching the door.
b. Look for smoke coming in from around the door.
c. If either smoke or heat are present, don't open the door, use an alternative exit.
d. All of the above.

13. Recommended building evacuation procedure is to:
a. Assist persons in immediate danger if you can do so without risk to yourself.
b. Call 911, activate the building alarm and ensure that everyone is evacuating.
c. Never go back into a burning building for any reason, but get out and call 911.
d. All of the above.

14. You should use a fire extinguisher to fight a fire only if:
a. The alarm has been activated, the building is being evacuated, the fire department has been called, the fire is small and contained and there is no
imminent peril.
b. You have help to fight the fire with your back to an exit, you can stay low to avoid smoke, the proper extinguisher is at hand, and you know how to
use it.
c. You are the only one available to fight the fire.
d. A and B.

15. Do not fight a fire if:
a. You don't know what is burning.
b. Others in the building haven't been warned about the fire and are not evacuating.
c. You don't have a clear exit to leave immediately if anything unexpected happens.
d. All of the above.

16. Class A extinguishers are suitable for:
a. Fire in energized circuits or electrical equipment, computers.
b. Flammable liquid fires, such as oil, gasoline, solvents.
c. Ordinary combustibles, paper, wood, most rubber or plastics and textiles.
d. Flammable metal fires, machining chips, and reactive metals such as titanium.

17. Class B extinguishers are suitable for:
a. Fire in energized circuits or electrical equipment, computers.
b. Flammable liquid fires, such as oil, gasoline, solvents.
c. Ordinary combustibles, paper, wood, most rubber, plastics, textiles.
d. Flammable metal fires, machining chips, reactive metals such as titanium.

18. Class C extinguishers are suitable for:
a. Fire in energized circuits or electrical equipment, computers.
b. Flammable liquid fires, such as oil, gasoline, solvents.
c. Ordinary combustibles, paper, wood, most rubber, plastics, textiles.
d. Flammable metal fires, machining chips, reactive metals such as titanium.

19. Water when used as an extinguishing agent:
a. May intensify the fire if used on burning liquids.
b. Poses risk of electric shock if used on energized equipment.
c. Is commonly propelled by a soda-acid chemical reaction.
d. A and B.

20. Dry chemical when used as an extinguishing agent:
a. Is multi-purpose rated B-C or ABC, depending upon the specific agent used.
b. Is nonconductive, works by blanketing the fuel to interrupt the chemical reaction at the fuel surface, and displacing oxygen to smother the fire.
c. Should be tested only upon your approach to the fire.
d. All of the above.

21. C02 when used as an extinguishing agent:
a. Is dangerously reactive on Class D metal fires.
b. Is less effective on Class A fires due to re-ignition.
c. Has an effective range of less than 8 ft., discharges in 10 seconds or less and disperses quickly, so you should apply in short spurts until all of the
gas runs out.
d. All of the above.

22. Halon when used as an extinguishing agent:
a. Weight for weight it is twice as effective as C02.
b. It produces no residue and is the best choice for protecting valuable electronics.
c. A and B.
d. It is inexpensive and highly recommended for general home and office use.


23. The recommended method for using a fire extinguisher is to:
a. Discharge the extinguisher pointing at the center of the fire where the flames are most dense, in one continuous stream until the fire is out.
b. Work from the top of the fire down to its base, using short spurts.
c. Work from the base of the fire up in one long continuous stream.
d. Stand with your back to an unobstructed exit, 6 to 8 feet from the fire, then pull the pin, aim low at the base of the fire, squeeze the lever and
sweep from side to side, using 1-3 second spurts, while being cautious of spreading or re-ignition.

24. What should you do once the fire is out?
a. Contact the fire department and cancel the call.
b. Watch fire area, being alert for re-ignition. If you cannot confine the fire, leave.
c. Ensure fire department inspects the site and recharge or replace the extinguisher.
d. Both B and C.

25. What type, class and rating of fire extinguisher is the recommended minimum for general home, personal motor vehicle and recreational boats?
a. APW, 2-A
b. Dry chemical, 1-A/10-BC
c. CO2, 10-BC
d. Halon, 5-BC

Five unscored survey questions follow. Please answer these honestly so that the information may assist public safety officials in their community preparedness planning.

26. Do you have at least one ABC extinguisher and smoke /CO detector in your home, AND, if so, have you have inspected them within the last month? Y / N

27. Do you have an ABC or BC extinguisher, flares and a first aid kit in the vehicle you drove here today, AND, if so have you checked them in the last month? Y / N

28. Has your family conducted an Exit-Drill-In-The-Home this year? Y / N

29. Have you received fire safety training similar to this before in your employment? Y / N

30. On a 1-4 scale, how do rate THIS training as being relevant and useful to improve your personal safety at home and work?
1 2 3 4
Not effective Extremely effective

[Clusterfrack]

Dan, I bet you're getting sick of revisiting this disaster and answering questions. Here's one more:

If there's a round or shell in the chamber when it cooks off, that's significantly more dangerous than ammunition loose or in a magazine, right? I'm trying to think about how I would try to mitigate that danger, and unless I knew the direction the firearms were facing, I don't have a good answer. Thoughts?


Yes.

25 Brennecke Slugs in a chest carrier plus 7 flight control 1B in the mag tube of an 870. Mag tube intact, shell carrier pushed down and back, melted magpul stock and foreararm.

30 rounds of 9mm - mag in an M&P plus extra mag. Melted frame of M&P, don't know if floorplates melted of mags or were pushed off by rounds popping, mag bodies pretty much intact.

I couldn't find my LCP.

ETA: I think the slugs in the chest plate melted down and burnt whereas the shells in the tube popcorned. I told the fireguys about the ammo and guns. Shortly after they started putting water on, what I assume were the nines started popping, kind of like the 4th.

[JCS]

Dan, I bet you're getting sick of revisiting this disaster and answering questions. Here's one more:

If there's a round or shell in the chamber when it cooks off, that's significantly more dangerous than ammunition loose or in a magazine, right? I'm trying to think about how I would try to mitigate that danger, and unless I knew the direction the firearms were facing, I don't have a good answer. Thoughts?

This has been studied by SAAMI in conjunction with a fire chiefs association. https://saami.org/publications-advisories/sporting-ammunition-and-the-firefighter/

In essence it’s not much (relative to app the others dangers present to a firefighter) of a danger outside a chamber but inside it is. A fire like his is one of the instances when it would get hot enough to ignite one in the chamber.

[RevolverRob]

Dan, first - glad you and the Mrs. are okay. Shit happens and stuff can be replaced, you and her can't be replaced.

Second; totally agree with the sentiment. Since we're going on fire safety:

For the cars: https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/ultra+compact+fire+extinguisher.do?code=PPCPLG&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImMC2-deB8wIVUB-tBh21pwmBEAQYAyABEgJIdfD_BwE - I should pick up one for the scooter. Bonus of a Vespa is a huge glovebox for this kind of stuff.

For the house I have an A-B-C extinguisher on each floor of the house and in the garage. Though right now, I might only have one on the upper floor and one in the garage. I need to check downstairs.

This reminds me that I need to make sure all the family is doing the same. Folks often neglect home fire extinguishers and I'm pretty sure my sister and the wife's sister don't even have fire extinguishers in their houses.

[JCS]

Also as a note. Extinguishers don’t last forever. Life spans vary but 10 years is a good number. Instead of buying new you can take it to a licensed extinguisher company and have them inspect and/or recharge them. It’ll save money over the cost of new.

[UNK]

Also as a note. Extinguishers don’t last forever. Life spans vary but 10 years is a good number. Instead of buying new you can take it to a licensed extinguisher company and have them inspect and/or recharge them. It’ll save money over the cost of new.

I just recently bought one from a commercial company. I also needed to replace some smoke alarms and my call was answered automatically with the recording “If you are calling about the fire extinguisher recall press…” made me feel super smart about not purchasing a fire extinguisher from a big box store where that brand is sold.

[DDTSGM]

Wow. Glad things worked okay for ya’ll. I take it the hitch on the trailer was not secured with a lock so it was just a matter of pulling a pin to unhitch? I’ve read some discussions about the relative merits of locks versus pins on some RV forums and this exact scenario (trailer fire) is the argument for ease of de-coupling.

The pin was the locking type, I had the key in my pocket, though. At the time I started unhooking the fire wasn't through the front and I wanted to save the sway and equalizer bars if I could as well as the hitch. Strange thoughts, huh?

Besides, I wanted use use my electric jack one more time, I just bought it and it hadn't been used but 3 or 4 times. :rolleyes:

[Tensaw]

Holy shit dude! :D

[Malamute]

Also as a note. Extinguishers don’t last forever. Life spans vary but 10 years is a good number. Instead of buying new you can take it to a licensed extinguisher company and have them inspect and/or recharge them. It’ll save money over the cost of new.


I was looking up general info about recharging and 6 and 12 years seems to be the time frames, 6 for check and re-certification, 12 for a recharge/refurb on the unit with empty, clean, hydro pressure test, replace all seals and parts, refill, and certify.

Regarding units in the home, (I guess or wherever), they should be where everyone KNOWS where they are and can access them easily. I came to visit family once, dad had moved, so first time i was in the house. I had been on the road a couple days, worn out, went to bed in the room hed set up in the basement for me....and woke up later to the wall being on fire. Dashing up two flights of stairs, trying to wake him up, communicate I NEEDED a fire extinguisher NOW and WHERE IS IT?????...."its in the closet downstairs" it took a while to convince him to get it for me as I had zero idea what closet. Fast forward....when I came to visit later times, there were fire extinguishers in every bedroom sitting on the floor behind the door where its obvious when in the room and closing the door, and one in the kitchen, basement shop, and garage.

Ive adopted a similar habit, theres about 5 or 6 or 7 around the house right now and I always keep at least one in a vehicle handy. I once gave mine to a guy I knew trying to put out a differential fire in a Suburban on the side of a remote highway. Hed stopped to help and used his up and it was still going. Car full of kids. The vehicle may well have been toast if he hadnt gotten it out when he did, the fire department were on the way, but fires dont wait on you.

[Paul D]

After reading this thread, I immediate bought replacements for all my 10 year old ABC household extinguishers.

Now I have all these extinguishers that I can probably practice with (not goof off with...well not a lot). I will probably shoot them in the backyard with the wife and kids trying it so they know what's it like. Any warnings? Is clean up more complicated than hosing the stuff down into the dirt and letting nature do her stuff?

[Dog Guy]

After reading this thread, I immediate bought replacements for all my 10 year old ABC household extinguishers.

Now I have all these extinguishers that I can probably practice with (not goof off with...well not a lot). I will probably shoot them in the backyard with the wife and kids trying it so they know what's it like. Any warnings? Is clean up more complicated than hosing the stuff down into the dirt and letting nature do her stuff?

The powder is pretty obnoxious, and spreads surprisingly well on the breeze. I'd look for a more remote setting unless your back yard is pretty big.

[RevolverRob]

The powder is pretty obnoxious, and spreads surprisingly well on the breeze. I'd look for a more remote setting unless your back yard is pretty big.

This^^

I once yanked the pin on an extinguisher thinking I'd have a fire. Didn't have one. So, now I had an extinguisher with an easily misplaced plastic pin. I thought it would be interesting to see the thing and went out on the patio and activated it. Wow...what a fucking mess.

What I learned was...point it at a fire you made in a bucket or trashcan and practice. And do it so you're upwind and far away from the house when you do.

[Duelist]

After reading this thread, I immediate bought replacements for all my 10 year old ABC household extinguishers.

Now I have all these extinguishers that I can probably practice with (not goof off with...well not a lot). I will probably shoot them in the backyard with the wife and kids trying it so they know what's it like. Any warnings? Is clean up more complicated than hosing the stuff down into the dirt and letting nature do her stuff?


The powder is pretty obnoxious, and spreads surprisingly well on the breeze. I'd look for a more remote setting unless your back yard is pretty big.


This^^

I once yanked the pin on an extinguisher thinking I'd have a fire. Didn't have one. So, now I had an extinguisher with an easily misplaced plastic pin. I thought it would be interesting to see the thing and went out on the patio and activated it. Wow...what a fucking mess.

What I learned was...point it at a fire you made in a bucket or trashcan and practice. And do it so you're upwind and far away from the house when you do.

The one time I’ve used an ABC fire extinguisher was an expired can that was either going to be recharged or replaced by my employer, and they wanted all newer employees to get a chance to practice. They set a fire in a metal can in a large empty parking lot for this, and we took turns using up the expired extinguishers. I’m not sure how realistic it was, unless contained small fires in trash cans are common where you live or work, but it was cool to see the fire go out so fast when the nozzle was aimed at the base of the fire. Not so much when aimed at the scary dancing flames two feet above the fuel.

[CSW]

More expensive, but effective, are carbon dioxide extinguishers.

I have dry chem, CO2 and a water in my home.

[deputyG23]

The powder is pretty obnoxious, and spreads surprisingly well on the breeze. I'd look for a more remote setting unless your back yard is pretty big.

The powder is quite obnoxious. I had an extinguisher go off in the back of a '91 Caprice sheriff's car. What a mess. The worst part of it was it was another deputy's assigned vehicle while mine was in the shop.

[deputyG23]

Thank you for the reminders and hard won education. Glad you and yours are safe.

I couldn't have said it better. Thank the Lord that the OP and his wife are safe.

[Coyotesfan97]

The powder is quite obnoxious. I had an extinguisher go off in the back of a '91 Caprice sheriff's car. What a mess. The worst part of it was it was another deputy's assigned vehicle while mine was in the shop.

I’ve had to deal with that mess a couple times. The powder goes everywhere.

At least there’s no odor like cleaning the aftermath of a dog’s explosive diarrhea out of his car kennel.

[rayrevolver]

Glad you are ok and thanks for sharing.

I drove a VW Beetle for a few years and always had a fire extinguisher mounted in the cabin. These days, not so much. That needs to change, especially when pulling the travel trailer where the extinguisher is in the trailer.

I am going to buy a bigger extinguisher for the truck and looked at these fancy new "sticks" a while ago. Anyone have info on them?

https://www.amazon.com/Augusta-Motorsports-Element-E100-Suppression/dp/B08K99LPQX/ref=asc_df_B08K99LPQX/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459533584708&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3421290614661588493&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007696&hvtargid=pla-984414336694&psc=1

They are very expensive but I can stash one in the wifes car without much fuss. There is a smaller 50 and I linked to the larger 100 above.

Also a good reminder to check the bottle in the house and talk about the fire escape plan (which we do because of my cub scout yearly).

At my previous job we had a safety day in January. I got to slide down the emergency slide of a commercial airliner (your ass gets hot) and extinguish a fire they made in a big metal tray type thing. Good times!

[BN]

Thanks for posting this. Sorry for your loss. I went to Amazon and ordered more fire extinguishers because I realized we didn't have any in the garage. Any recommendations from the experts?

[scw2]

Thanks for posting this. Sorry for your loss. I went to Amazon and ordered more fire extinguishers because I realized we didn't have any in the garage. Any recommendations from the experts?

I saved this post from another fire related thread a few years ago. Hopefully any experts can add any relevant information that may be missing.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?25171-Your-Stove-Is-In-Flames!-What-Do-You-Do&p=587821&viewfull=1#post587821

I'd recommend at a minimum a 2a10bc extinguisher. That's what's required for all commercial buildings. Most people have the tiny 1a5bc extinguishers and they aren't going to put out much fire.

What do the numbers and letters mean? 2a means it's the equivalent to 2 gallons of water. The letters are for different types of fires. The main four types are A,B,,C and K. There's also a class D but you're not going to need it in your house. 10bc means it can put out a fire of ten square feet of class b&c type fires.

You don't want to use an extinguisher that's made for the type of fire. It's not a one size fits all solution.

One of the most common misconceptions that we see are people throwing powder and stuff on the fire. The biggest being flour. A few weeks ago we had a grease fire and the lady threw a bunch of flour on it and it flashed and caused burns to her back.

What we recommend for people with and without extinguishers is keeping a cookie sheet or baking pan that's bigger than the pan on the counter anytime your cooking. If it flashes or gets out of control you just slide the sheet over the pan and it smothers the fire.

I can say that people have no freakin idea what to do when the moment happens. The extinguisher is 3 feet away and instead they grab a cup of water or flour. They'll try and grab the pan to take it outside and spill it catching their living room on fire.

Kitchens are far and away the #1 cause of house fires.

[rd62]

My daughter had a similar fire last year while cooking on the stove. I forget what she was making but something flammable (grease or oil) sloshed over the side of the pan and flashed. Thankfully I was sitting at my desk nearby and she called my name as she was grabbing a bag of sugar (instead of baking soda) to try and smother it with. She knew enough to make a problem a disaster. I picked up the lid sitting next to the pan on the stovetop and covered it in turn putting out the fire.

I got an "Oh", from her in response.

There was an extinguisher three feet away under the sink, but honestly I'm glad she didn't think to use it as I wouldn't want to clean it up if avoidable.

[rd62]

Speaking of cleaning up extinguisher messes, when I was in college I managed a restaurant.

The kitchen automatic fire suppression system had to be inspected and serviced annually. On one such occasion the tech doing the work made some type of mistake when servicing the links in the system and about an hour after he left the thing deployed on its own.

It released the contents of what I recall being two approximately 10 gal wall mounted tanks. The powder sprayed from the hood mounted nozzles all over the grills, fryers, floors, counters, etc.

I think we were closed close to two days cleaning up.

[TGS]

I am going to buy a bigger extinguisher for the truck and looked at these fancy new "sticks" a while ago. Anyone have info on them?

RevolverRob mentioned this upthread. After doing some research, I would treat these as a last ditch product or for when you can't fit a regular fire extinguisher. I think it would go well in my Porsche, or Rob's Vespa, given space constraints for their use as everyday vehicles. If my Porsche were strictly a track car, or I were buying for a regular sized vehicle, I'd go with a regular extinguisher.

I think of it as the J-frame or Glock 43 of fire extinguishers. Don't rely on it when you can rely on a service pistol.....or in this case, a real fire extinguisher.

It works but it's pretty weak and requires you to get very close to the fire to be effective if you're anywhere outdoors where you typically have a 5mph wind (so slow that it's actually not usually felt). If there's any sort of wind that you can actually feel and think "Oh, it's windy", I imagine this product would be completely useless.

There's a curious use for it indoors though. I wonder if Dan had two of these, if he could've thrown them into the trailer like grenades then closed the trailer. Given it'd be a relatively small, enclosed volume of space, I wonder if the sticks may have killed the flames or at least prevented it from spreading inside.

There's a bunch of video demonstrations of varying quality; a bunch of people using them on very well contained "fires" in their grills where there's no wind, or use on very light fires that are already going out themselves. So, be critical of any videos you watch. This is the only demonstration I found of the sticks being used on a robust fire (not already going out on its own) in open air with a slight breeze......I'd estimate 3-5mph, so light you'd barely even be able to feel it. This shows how close you have to get for it to actually be effective in such realistic yet undemanding conditions.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW5T_Fh1p1U

[Snapshot]

Sort of at the confluence of "keep an extinguisher in the vehicle" and "very messy to clean up", what are the recommendations / ideas for keeping an extinguisher available but secure in a regular vehicle?

I have an F150 Supercab (yes with suicide doors), there is a stowage area under the rear seat but it is pretty tight for my 3A-40-B:C extinguisher. I don't want it rolling around back there so right now it is just in the cardboard box it came in, probably not going to survive too long like that.

[Malamute]

...The extinguisher is 3 feet away ...

Kitchens are far and away the #1 cause of house fires.

Something to keep in mind, I was told by a friend that was a firefighter that they sometimes responded to fires where the extinguisher was too close to the fire and couldnt be retrieved and used. Keeping one RIGHT next to the potential fire isnt necessarily a great idea. I tend to keep mine out in the open where they can be seen, and knowing where it is hidden isnt so much an issue.

Ive had them in various places in vehicles, the old Nissan had a nice flat spot with slight curb between the seat and door, a smaller unit laid there nicely on the passenger side. I currently have one leaned against the tunnel on the passenger side against the front of the seat. It needs securing, as it sometimes ends up on the floor. Either a couple D rings with clips screwed to the side of the tunnel to baby bungie it or an elastic tool holder strap screwed to the tunnel is the likely answer for me. I also keep a bear spray there next to it so i can find it when recreating outdoors.

I remembered a friend told me of driving in Mt and coming upon a vehicle fire under the hood, with much attendant freaking out, running in circles, etc. He stopped, his son jumped out with their extinguisher and shot it in under the hood putting it out before it got too far along. Another one of those times when official fire service isnt close to hand, youre on your own.

Used extinguishers. One youtuber showed recharging them with water and compressed air, partly for practice, partly for fun. Not so useful for fires unless maybe a wood or grass fire in the back yard.

[RevolverRob]

Google "Off Road Fire Extinguisher Mount" and "Racecar Fire Extinguisher Mount" and you'll probably find aomething that can work for your particular vehicle.

My wife's car is tiny and the trunk cannot be released from the inside. So, I've gone with a stick-tyoe extinguisher mounted crossways right at the base of the passenger seat. The FJ is huge by comparison. And I have a bigger 2.5 pound extinguisher sitting in the cup holder of the driver's side rear suicide door. The scooter will get a stick.

The two most important things are easy access and security. You really don't want a 2.5-5 pound steel cylinder flying around in your car if you crash. Worse if you crash and then need the extinguisher, it won't help if it isn't where it is supposed to be.

As for locations at home, centrally located is good. We have one mounted to the wall in the kitchen under the light switches. Downstairs, it's mounted to the wall near the furnace closet. In the garage I have it sitting on the floor by the man door.

I really should add another beside my bed. It's an irrational thing but I view it like an evac tool. Open the window and evac but have an extinguisher to keep things at bay while we do it. Paranoid? Maybe, but fuck it.

[TGS]

My wife's car is tiny and the trunk cannot be released from the inside. So, I've gone with a stick-tyoe extinguisher mounted crossways right at the base of the passenger seat.

Can you share pictures of how you mounted the stick? I didn't see any rigid mounts similar to track-car mounts. Did you just velcro it to the base of the seat?

What kind of car does your wife drive, where the trunk can't be released from the inside?

[RevolverRob]

Can you share pictures of how you mounted the stick? I didn't see any rigid mounts similar to track-car mounts. Did you just velcro it to the base of the seat?

What kind of car does your wife drive, where the trunk can't be released from the inside?

I used the included clamp mount and just screwed it to the floor. The way the passenger seat overhangs you can't really hit it with your feet accidentally.

It's a Mazda2. Technically, it's a hatchback. But we have one of those lift up covers that conceals the contents in the trunk. And it seals tight against the hatch. To open the hatch you have to get out and punch the release button on the hatch itself. A very stupid design, in my opinion. There should be a remote release by the driver.

[theJanitor]

What kind of car does your wife drive, where the trunk can't be released from the inside?

I have an S2000 convertible. The trunk release is in a compartment I keep locked. I keep it locked so someone can't just knife the top (which has happened before), and pop the trunk.

Also, if you get a GT3, it'll come with a fire extinguisher under the passenger seat, IIRC. I had to deal with getting that extinguisher here, when I flew my buddy's GT3 here a couple years ago. the air cargo company wouldn't allow it

[RoyGBiv]

The powder is quite obnoxious. I had an extinguisher go off in the back of a '91 Caprice sheriff's car. What a mess. The worst part of it was it was another deputy's assigned vehicle while mine was in the shop.

I can concur.

Took me 2x 5-lb extinguishers to put down an alternator fire in an F-150 years ago. Thankfully we had one mounted in the cab. It knocked down the fire enough to see what was burning (the plastic electrical connector and whatever was inside that it was connected to). I grabbed the second extinguisher from inside the house, along with the phone to dial 911. Was able to pull out the connector and put out both small fires (inside the alt and the connector) while I had 911 on the phone.

Took me a week to quit coughing. You don't want to inhale that stuff if you can avoid it. Under the truck hood wasn't fun.

We use the refillable 15(?) pound water tanks as trainers, together with a propane "fire trainer". I'll defer to the fire dogs but I think the use case for those in actual fire protection is quite limited. There's a lot of thing that burn around the house that you probably don't want to put water on or into. And re-pressurizing them (the ones we use hold enough water for 2-3 pressure charges) takes longer than you want to be around a house fire for if you have other choices. Run to garage, turn on compressor, wait for it to pressurize, air up extinguisher, run back to fire. Not a good plan. YMMV.

[TGS]

I'll defer to the fire dogs but I think the use case for those in actual fire protection is quite limited. There's a lot of thing that burn around the house that you probably don't want to put water on or into. And re-pressurizing them (the ones we use hold enough water for 2-3 pressure charges) takes longer than you want to be around a house fire for if you have other choices. Run to garage, turn on compressor, wait for it to pressurize, air up extinguisher, run back to fire. Not a good plan. YMMV.

Not a fireman. I took a 1 week course with FDNY and they had us practice stuff about using water extinguishers to knock down the heat just enough to extend your search time as opposed to actually trying to put out the fire. I think there's uses, but it might be better left to people who've trained on it.

[RevolverRob]

Can you share pictures of how you mounted the stick? I didn't see any rigid mounts similar to track-car mounts. Did you just velcro it to the base of the seat?

What kind of car does your wife drive, where the trunk can't be released from the inside?

Did you see this: https://www.amazon.com/Bracketeer-Extinguisher-Bracket-Universal-Vehicles/dp/B015G3QXMY/ref=asc_df_B015G3QXMY?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80745502739789&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584345029716300&psc=1

No experience with it, but might work for a P-car.

[TGS]

Did you see this: https://www.amazon.com/Bracketeer-Extinguisher-Bracket-Universal-Vehicles/dp/B015G3QXMY/ref=asc_df_B015G3QXMY?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80745502739789&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584345029716300&psc=1

No experience with it, but might work for a P-car.

I've seen a lot of mounts for Porsches, but not that one in particular. Regular extinguisher mounts are readily available all over any of the P-car sites.

I'm not looking to put a full extinguisher in it for what I would call daily driver reasons.

Just thinking about how I could mount the sticks you posted in particular, I don't imagine most typical extinguisher mounts would work for those purposes. I'm thinking that if the provided plastic mount doesn't interface well, I could literally just velcro it down at the base of the seat. Or, just throw it in the door pockets which actually latch shut like a woman's clutch, which is pretty awesome for the purposes of keeping stuff safely stowed.

[RevolverRob]

I've seen a lot of mounts for Porsches, but not that one in particular. Regular extinguisher mounts are readily available all over any of the P-car sites.

I'm not looking to put a full extinguisher in it for what I would call daily driver reasons.

Just thinking about how I could mount the sticks you posted in particular, I don't imagine most typical extinguisher mounts would work for those purposes. I'm thinking that if the provided plastic mount doesn't interface well, I could literally just velcro it down at the base of the seat. Or, just throw it in the door pockets which actually latch shut like a woman's clutch, which is pretty awesome for the purposes of keeping stuff safely stowed.

Gotcha.

https://elementfire.com/collections/allproducts

Element is the maker and they have a few mount types too.

[TGS]

Gotcha.

https://elementfire.com/collections/allproducts

Element is the maker and they have a few mount types too.

Oh, awesome! Thanks.

[314159]

My brother the fireman once informed me the best place for a fire extinguisher was near the threat (stove, whatever) in the direction of an exit.

1) There's a fire!

2) Get a fire extinguisher.

3) Choose between: That is way too much fire for this and keep running or extinguish the fire with an escape path already chosen.

[Welder]

It's amazing how many fires can be put out by physically smothering them. I don't know how fire resistant kitchen mitts are since I don't own any, but my welding gloves have put out hundreds of fires over the years. As mentioned somewhere above, if the fire just recently started, and assuming it's not electrical, you can save a lot of cleanup if you remain calm and smother it. I prefer directly beating it out with my gloves; they'll take a lot of heat before it begins to transfer. I mentioned above that I caught myself on fire last week -- all I had to do was grab the area that was on fire and hold it tight for about 15 seconds, and it was out. This will work with grease fires, and even if it doesn't, you can often pick the fire up and drop it somewhere else where it's less dangerous.

TL/DR: $25 or less buys you a nice set of welding gloves which can: A) Encourage you to start a new hobby one day, and B) be useful for putting out fires and generally handling hot stuff better than the somewhat cheesy and weak kitchen mitts I've seen.

Also and separately, especially on vehicle-borne extinguishers, it's good practice to remove them from the vehicle and shake them every month or two. There have been cases where the powder compacts over time and the extinguisher loses efficiency. I have my extinguishers on an annual rotation to be inspected and recharged if needed. Some of mine are nearing the end of their useful lifespans; they age out by date built even if they're perfectly sound.

[beenalongtime]

Also and separately, especially on vehicle-borne extinguishers, it's good practice to remove them from the vehicle and shake them every month or two. There have been cases where the powder compacts over time and the extinguisher loses efficiency. I have my extinguishers on an annual rotation to be inspected and recharged if needed. Some of mine are nearing the end of their useful lifespans; they age out by date built even if they're perfectly sound.

Our fire extinguisher guy, was the one that recommended to me, to whack the bottom of them with a rubber mallet.

[That Guy]

TL/DR: $25 or less buys you a nice set of welding gloves which can: A) Encourage you to start a new hobby one day, and B) be useful for putting out fires and generally handling hot stuff better than the somewhat cheesy and weak kitchen mitts I've seen.

Also and separately, especially on vehicle-borne extinguishers, it's good practice to remove them from the vehicle and shake them every month or two.

While I agree wholeheartedly on the principle of smothering small fires, I would recommend getting an actual fire blanket for that purpose. The price is in the same ballpark (I honestly can't remember what I paid for any of mine, so they can't be very expensive), and they're actually meant for that use.

And I suppose our vehicles and the roads they travel on are a bit different, as the extinguishers in mine get a shaking any time I drive the cars. :)

[Welder]

While I agree wholeheartedly on the principle of smothering small fires, I would recommend getting an actual fire blanket for that purpose. The price is in the same ballpark (I honestly can't remember what I paid for any of mine, so they can't be very expensive), and they're actually meant for that use.

And I suppose our vehicles and the roads they travel on are a bit different, as the extinguishers in mine get a shaking any time I drive the cars. :)

When you say "fire blanket," my mind automatically goes to what my industry uses which is a "cheap" ($90?) 6'x8' woven fiberglass blanket which will fill whichever part of your hide is unfortunate enough to touch it with fiberglass splinters that are impossible to see and will stay in your skin for weeks. I've given fire blankets away to my worst enemies as Christmas gifts, if that's any sort of clue. :D

Hopefully whatever the general public can buy for $25 isn't made of the same stuff.

Unless you're driving a paint shaker, your extinguishers are probably compacting. The rubber mallet trick mentioned above might be a good idea for you, too. 1/3 of my work is offroad, and I'm driving stiffly-sprung work trucks, and I told my fire guy the same thing you just told me about my trucks shaking my extinguishers enough that I was sure they'd be fine. He told me that I was the poster case for somebody who was likely to have compacted powder.

[rd62]

I would think the truck jostling then would be worse for compaction then them just sitting there.

[Welder]

This is an old thread, but I'm bringing it to the top today as a reminder for anyone (like me) who's gotten a little complacent with their fire extinguishers recently. Today was one of the first Sundays that was good weather for grilling, and so my whole family and I were out on the deck eating after we'd grilled some burgers. I think we'd forgotten to check the grill for whether it'd been cleaned out since last year, and I was sitting with my back to it when the girls started saying things like, "Fire!," and "The grill!"

So I turned around expecting to poo-poo their fears and instead was greated by great billowing clouds of black smoke and licks of flame coming out around the edges of the shut hood. My wife was wanting to open it and throw water in there (nope), so we had to let it burn while I ran to the shop for an extinguisher since I didn't have one in the house and I'd used up the one in the truck on a fire at work recently and hadn't gotten around to replacing it yet. Those little mistakes have since been rectified. So I at least was smart enough to grab a shop extinguisher that I knew was nearly out of date anyway and would need to be tossed soon, and was also smart enough to put the fire out from below after pulling the grease pan out of the way with some handy welding gloves (we have an 8' soffit-type ceiling on our deck and the fire did manage to slightly melt and discolor some of it even though the lid stayed shut). The grill needs a good cleaning and the girls, my wife, and I all learned a few valuable lessons, Number One of which is that complacency is a pretty dangerous enemy. I had like 5 extinguishers in the shop and zero in the house....what was I thinking?

Hoping that bringing this thread back from the dead might encourage someone else to fix any errors or misjudgments before their day comes. :)