Extinguishers

The other night was portable fire extinguishers. I managed to avoid the lecture (it was one of the Triumvirate), but I was on the pad to do some demonstrations/practicals.

The way we teach people to use the various flavours of portable extinguishers is to put some diesel fuel in a metal tub, some straw and light it with a flare. Depending on what type of fire you're simulating, you adjust the amount of straw.

Of course, I've never actually done this before. I've been it done, but never set it up.

Now imagine my delight when I found out I was organizing the practicals.

Shit.

We had three stations, each to cover the use of dry chem, CO and water extinguishers.

I had a new instructor (who is career in the county and a vollie at my vollie house) with me doing water, and the non-bald Triumvirate had the other two.

Apparently one of the Triumvirate used all the CO extinguishers in his first group (of three). *sigh*

The cool thing about doing the diesel and the stray is that once it gets hot enough, it ignites for you so you're not sticking your (in my case non-gloved hand) over the fire to relight it. Unfortunately that doesn't usually happen until the end of the evening.

All in all, it was fun. We did see some deer up at the main pad hanging around when we brought the empties back up.

Would have been good to recruit them - they would be better than some of the students, and if they failed - we could eat them.