Spouses and fire extinguishers

[Whitewater_419]

Hi all;

So I finally got a couple of extinguishers for the house - We just received the training for the smoke detector surveys in our area, one of the points raised was that ideally, you should have an extinguisher near your main exit, as well as one near your sleeping areas.

So I get these things set up, right in the perfect place that they're accessible on the way out (of the house and out of the bedrooms) and show my little girl how to pull it off the wall, pull the pin and point it at the base of the flames (Yes, she knows that her *FIRST* responsibility is to get out of the house, not to fight the fire, but it doesn't hurt to make sure everyone knows how to use the suckers).

Anyway, I'm feeling like Mr Fire Safety, protecting my family and all that, and along comes my wife and starts giving me grief because they're "ugly" and "they don't go with the colour scheme of the stairwell!" :)

"Can't we hide it somewhere, or at least put it behind a door ?"

I had to hold myself back from laughing, but they stayed where I installed em :) :) :)

[bfrd22]

In the bedroom ours is in the closet, By the kitchen door it's attached to the inside cabnet door closest to the exterior door, 2 more are in the garage (one front, on back). One in the toolbox of my truck.

I have always told everone that if you only have one extingisher in your home put it in the master bed room.

Interstingly we are doing a major demo on the new COLD FIRE ext. You can get it in a 12 oz arisol can. From what I see you can put out a car fully involved interior car fire with a single can.

We will be testing this stuff on Wednesday and I let you know how it goes.

We are looking at it for our seniors as a regular ext is difficult for them to use. (If the stuff works). Also has a freeze of -27F so we are looking at for our personal vehicles also.

[Whitewater_419]

I'd be interested in hearing how the aerosol ext. works, to be sure - We've got quite a few seniors in our community that I would imagine handling a 5 lb extinguisher would be difficult, at best.

[TiSme]

Yes I would also be interested in those results.

Please ensure you post them .... It will be nice to hear real experience data and not just sales data.

Let's be Safe out there!!

[bfrd22]

I have done a observational write up on the Cold Fire product uder a new topic, I believe Whitewater_419 has a very valid topic here and did not intend on stealing his forum. And would like addtional comments, Believe it or not, it is one of the biggest problems of getting home owners to install extinquisher in thier homes, and no one will install a residental sprinkler system due to costs involved.

To Whitewater_419 I apologize for railroading this topic, It was very unintentional.

bfrd22

[Whitewater_419]

Hey BFRD;

No apologies needed - any topic that gets the rest of us thinking and talking about safety issues is a good thing, even if/when they go off on other tangents :)

On the topic of fire extinguishers in the house, I have to admit, it's a little sad that despite being a parent for over seven years, it took me becoming a volunteer firefighter to actually take the step of putting in fire extinguishers and escape ladders in my house.

I'm sure it would boggle the mind at just how many homes with small children don't have this kind of minimal protection in them :(

-Marc

[TiSme]

Well I'll throw my hat into the guilt group.

It took a pot fire in the kitchen when I was at home (very glad I was) and the reaction of my wife (who screamed and ran out of the house leaving myself, the kids, and her dad in the house wondering what was going on) bofore I got a kitchen extinguisher and spent some time teaching her what to do in different sistuations. I just assumed she would know (mental point: Actually go over situations with your wife and kids).

That was before I was a member. A couple of years after I became a member I got the rest of the extiguishers to properly cover the house (I believe). But I still have not gotten to the rescue ladders (thanx for the reminder :) )

We also had the discussion of location and "can't you hide it or something??". After long debate and more debate, I was able to convince her. So know we have 1 in the kitchen, one at the top of the basement stairs, and one a the top of the upstairs (bedrooms).

Let's be Safe out there!!

[Whitewater_419]

Originally posted by TiSme
Well I'll throw my hat into the guilt group.



That was before I was a member. A couple of years after I became a member I got the rest of the extiguishers to properly cover the house (I believe). But I still have not gotten to the rescue ladders (thanx for the reminder :) )





I got mine at Canadian Tire, for around $50 or so. Stores in a nylon bag that we keep in a linen cupboard upstairs, where my wife and 7 year old know how to use it (Haven't actually tried hanging it from the window and climbing down yet, which I suppose I should - better to be familiar with the experience in an emergency than learning it for the first time :)

[TiSme]

I hear ya on that .... Thanx for the info ... I'll have to go take a look at the local Canadian Tire outlet and see what they have. :)