[Texascavers] Re: Fire Extinguishers at TCR

[Rod Goke]

Gill has requested that people bring dry chemical fire extinguishers to TCR. That's a good idea, but it's important to understand that not all dry chemical fire extinguishers are the same and that some types are not considered to be effective against the types of fires most likely to be encountered in a natural outdoor environment, such as Flat Creek Ranch. I'm no expert in fire fighting, but based on what I've read, you need a fire extinguisher with a rating that includes class A when the burning material is wood, grass, paper, cardboard, etc. Some dry chemical fire extinguishers are rated ABC and, hence, are supposed to be effective against class A fires (in addition to classes B and C). Other dry chemical fire extinguishers are only rated BC and, hence, are not considered effective against class A fires. I'm not sure what would happen if you used a class BC fire extinguisher on a class A fire, but it might have more of a tendency to fan the flames than to put out the fire. Class BC fire extinguishers are intended primarily for use on fires involving flammable liquids and/or electrical fires. Water, of course, is an effective alternative for fighting class A fires, but not class B (flammable liquid) or class C (electrical) fires. A lot of information about fire extinguishers is available on the Internet. Here is one easy to read article summarizing the basics:    http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/ Different kinds of dry chemical fire extinguishers contain different kinds of chemicals, which can involve different hazards. Here is one article I found summarizing these potential hazards and precautions:    http://www.ehow.com/about_5443724_chemical-dangers-fire-extinguisher.html As tempting as it might be to extinguish the cigarettes of inconsiderate smokers  ;-), it's best to avoid discharging a dry chemical fire extinguisher in a way that would get into anyone's eyes, nose, or mouth. Accordingly, when using one of these extinguishers on a fire, it's probably best to do so from the upwind side, if possible, to avoid having the chemicals, smoke, and debris blow back into your own face. From what I've read, the chemicals used in ABC fire extinguishers tend to be more hazardous than those used in BC extinguishers, but I don't claim to be any expert on this. As I said before, I'm no expert on fire fighting or fire extinguishers, so if any of you have had training in this area, I invite you to correct anything I might have said wrong and to provide your own advice. I just think that if everyone is being encouraged to bring fire extinguishers to TCR, then it also would be good for people to learn a few basics about how to use them and about what kinds of extinguishers are appropriate for what kinds of fires. Rod -----Original Message----- From: Gill Edigar Sent: Sep 12, 2011 2:07 PM To: Julia Germany Cc: Texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: Re: [Texascavers] TCR and smoking I've just returned from a meeting at Flat Creek Ranch and the word was definitely: NO CIGARETTE BUTTS ON THE GROUND. Everybody knows how to "Field Strip" a cigarette butt--that makes sure it is "dead out" and doesn't leave an ugly butt on the ground. Please tend to it. Also, please remember to get a dry chemical fire extinguisher for your car and take it with you to TCR. Two would be even nicer. They are $17 at Lowes, Home Depot, WalMart, Academy, etc, etc. --Ediger On Mon, Sep 12, 2011 at 12:18 PM, Julia Germany wrote: > Hi All! > > For those who didn't read Rod Goke's comments about smoking at TCR, here's > one more reason not to smoke at TCR - until the bans are lifted, it's > illegal to smoke in Austin parks and other public spaces, and illegal to > cook with charcoal grills. Since Flat Creek is close to Austin, I would bet > that the owners of the ranch would appreciate the same respect. (For those > of us who need safety breaks, I would recommend doing so inside your > vehicle.) > > Here's a notice that just appeared about no smoking at the ACL fest this > weekend: > > No Smoking Allowed at ACL Fest > Updated: Monday, 12 Sep 2011, 11:57 AM CDT > Published : Monday, 12 Sep 2011, 11:16 AM CDT > > Due to a burn ban that is still in effect for all Austin parks and > greenbelts, smoking will be prohibited at Austin City Limits Festival this > year. > > "Following the tragic losses Central Texas has experienced in the last few > weeks as a result of widespread fires, we trust that park-goers will respect > this burn ban and work with us to keep our citizens and our community safe. > Please keep our parks smoke- and fire-free," said Austin Parks and > Recreation Department Director Sara Hensley. > > "We hope music fans attending ACL will also keep in mind the safety of > residents in neighborhoods surrounding Zilker Park by not littering > cigarette butts in front of homes and businesses." > > The city enacted the ban in April due to the extreme drought that is > affecting Central Texas. The ban prohibits smoking as well as wood and > charcoal grilling. The ban applies to all city parks including Zilker Park > where ACL Fest will take place. > Park Police and Park Rangers will be enforcing the no smoking ban during > the festival by asking smokers to stop. If they do not comply, they will be > required to leave the park. > > However, city officials insist that Park Police will be as customer > friendly as possible. > > The Austin City Limits Festival begins on Friday and runs through Sunday. > > Read more: > http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/top_stories/No-Smoking-Allowed-at-ACL-Fest-20110912-ktbcw#ixzz1Xl85RJ1T > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com