Fire Extinguishers - Preparing for a Valid Threat

[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...yABEgJIdfD_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.

[Tensaw]

Holy shit dude!

[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.