Do you keep a fire extinguisher in your vehicle?

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  • Sylvain

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    Any of you folks keep a fire extinguisher in your vehicle?

    I keep some emergency supply in the car (first aid, jumper cables, tow rope, basic tools and spare tire, food and water etc) but don't have a fire extinguisher.

    Are car fire even that common?
    Do you need a fire extinguisher?
    Where do you keep it? In the trunk? Mounted next to the driver's seat?
    What size/type do you have?
    Have you ever used it?
     

    Cameramonkey

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    Yes. In the trunk. Preferrably a 5lb unit, but a 2.5lb unit is better than nothing. I havent personally, but several of our techs at work have used theirs for various fires. (mulch fire, grass fire, etc)

    And most importantly, know how to use them. Get proper training on the PASS method:
    Pull the pin
    Aim at the BASE of the fire
    Squeeze the lever
    Sweep from side to side.

    Also, if its in the car, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend a unit with a metal head, not a plastic one. Those plastic heads can get snapped off, and then you have a trunk full of ABC powder. That crap will never totally be cleaned up.
     

    Tryin'

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    Yes. I have been in the position of NEEDING one and not having it. 5lb minimum, quality unit.

    Crashes with entrapment and fire are rare. You will probably never need it. But I will never roll that die again.
     
    Last edited:

    lonehoosier

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    Yes I do, in all three vehicles. I have never had to use those but as a commercial truck driver with over 2 million safe miles I’ve used the ones in the truck over a dozen times. Most of those times were for someone else’s brake fires on commercial vehicles and on cadillac converter‘s on cars and pickups. On those I was able to get the fire out. I’ve tried to put a fire out in a engine bay and one inside of a vehicle with no luck. I believe those were electrical fires. I’ve never had to put out a fire do to an accident.
     

    thunderchicken

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    Yep 5lb'er in the back (trunk area of SUV). I recommend mounting it solid some way. A co worker was driving a vehicle and somehow the extinguisher was set off filling the vehicle with ABC powder. He almost crashed as a result.
     

    Sylvain

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    Yep 5lb'er in the back (trunk area of SUV). I recommend mounting it solid some way. A co worker was driving a vehicle and somehow the extinguisher was set off filling the vehicle with ABC powder. He almost crashed as a result.

    I imagine you don't want to get hit in the face by your fire extinguisher during a roll over either.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Any of you folks keep a fire extinguisher in your vehicle?

    I keep some emergency supply in the car (first aid, jumper cables, tow rope, basic tools and spare tire, food and water etc) but don't have a fire extinguisher.

    Are car fire even that common?
    Do you need a fire extinguisher?
    Where do you keep it? In the trunk? Mounted next to the driver's seat?
    What size/type do you have?
    Have you ever used it?
    Absolutely. 2. One in the cab area and one in the trunk/back
    Same for my wifes.
    Also 2 in the kitchen and they are all appropriate for the environment they are in. Not all extinguishers are the same.
    Also 2 big ones in my garage
     

    Sylvain

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    Absolutely. 2. One in the cab area and one in the trunk/back
    Same for my wifes.
    Also 2 in the kitchen and they are all appropriate for the environment they are in. Not all extinguishers are the same.
    Also 2 big ones in my garage

    I believe they are mandatory in the kitchen in the US, no?
    They are quite rare around here outside of public and commercial buildings.
    I don't think I ever seen one in someone's home.
     

    jedi

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    I believe they are mandatory in the kitchen in the US, no?
    They are quite rare around here outside of public and commercial buildings.
    I don't think I ever seen one in someone's home.

    In residential homes fire extinguishers or smoke detectors are not mandatory. They are also not required for motor vehicles.
    In commercial settings (restaurants, office bldg, hotels, etc..) they are mandatory in certain areas.
     

    4651feeder

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    Hmm..our mechanics with access to the DOT handbook claimed they were required in commercial vehicles.

    In 3 decades of commercial driving discharged a fire extinguisher one time for frozen brakes. Not enough justification to carry one now in my personal vehicle. Nor can salt, pepper, or ketchup packets be found in the vehicle for a just in case scenario. Do however carry one of the kid's old compasses in the driver's door pocket, cause I don't know where else to put the dang thing
     

    Dead Duck

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    I got two 5# Badgers. ABC Metal heads.
    One in the cab and one in the trunk in both vehicles. You should see how many I have mounted all over the house and garage. My kids think I'm crazy. :n00b:

    There was a Rig fire on the freeway in CA that I drove up on. He blocked 2 lanes on a 3 lane highway and cars were still passing slowly to his left. Fully engulfed. As cars were passing him, some were handing him extinguishers as they went by. He must have had 15 or so, cheapo kiddie type plastic crappers piled up next to him. He was just standing there shooting them off one at a time. I stopped to help with mine (one at that time) but it already hit the tanks at that point. He told me that the 2 large extinguishers that he had on board didn't function at all. And the ones people were giving him barely let out a poof. Only a couple, and mine actually worked like they should have but it was too late.

    That was an eye opener.



    The following is what I was told this from "old timer" extinguisher service guys through the years.
    Even if you do have them serviced regularly, try to store them horizontally when in a car or boat. The powder tends to get pounded down with vibrations and bumps from vehicles and this compacts the vertical mounted ones. (apparently that's bad) Horizontally mounted will let the powder move back and forth inside keeping it loose. (apparently that's good)

    My cab ones are horizontal mount but the trunks are mounted vertically. I try to rotate them out every 6 months or so.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    Yep 5lb'er in the back (trunk area of SUV). I recommend mounting it solid some way. A co worker was driving a vehicle and somehow the extinguisher was set off filling the vehicle with ABC powder. He almost crashed as a result.

    I'll bet you a PUDC, that it was a plastic head. Probably one affected by the recent recall.

    I believe they are mandatory in the kitchen in the US, no?
    They are quite rare around here outside of public and commercial buildings.
    I don't think I ever seen one in someone's home.

    Only mandatory in commercial environments. No rules about them in residential areas.

    I got two 5# Badgers. ABC Metal heads.
    One in the cab and one in the trunk in both vehicles. You should see how many I have mounted all over the house and garage. My kids think I'm crazy. :n00b:

    There was a Rig fire on the freeway in CA that I drove up on. He blocked 2 lanes on a 3 lane highway and cars were still passing slowly to his left. Fully engulfed. As cars were passing him, some were handing him extinguishers as they went by. He must have had 15 or so, cheapo kiddie type plastic crappers piled up next to him. He was just standing there shooting them off one at a time. I stopped to help with mine (one at that time) but it already hit the tanks at that point. He told me that the 2 large extinguishers that he had on board didn't function at all. And the ones people were giving him barely let out a poof. Only a couple, and mine actually worked like they should have but it was too late.

    That was an eye opener.



    The following is what I was told this from "old timer" extinguisher service guys through the years.
    Even if you do have them serviced regularly, try to store them horizontally when in a car or boat. The powder tends to get pounded down with vibrations and bumps from vehicles and this compacts the vertical mounted ones. (apparently that's bad) Horizontally mounted will let the powder move back and forth inside keeping it loose. (apparently that's good)

    My cab ones are horizontal mount but the trunks are mounted vertically. I try to rotate them out every 6 months or so.

    And what dead duck said. periodically (every couple years) shake your ABCs like a cocktail shaker for about 10 seconds, turning upside down a couple times. Powder can settle and solidify enough that it clogs the tube.
     

    Alamo

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    Yes, stored in trunk. I have fought some car fires as a volunteerfire fighter, and the lesson I got was you want to get on a car fire FAST. Once it gets going the car is pretty much toast, literally.

    But once it does get going past ability to snuff it with a handheld fire extinguisher, get AWAY from it — especially don’t stand in front it behind it. Aside from the smoke being really bad for you, various struts and shock absorbing cylinders in the bumpers and hatches can get heated enough to explode and drive the Pistons out at dangerous velocity. There’s a wicked picture of a firefighter with a strut from a hatchback driven through his thigh.

    Prior to being a firefighter I have been with a friend when his car engine caught fire (electrical) and he had a fire extinguisher, which saved further damage. That was right in front of Wright Quad in Bloomington Indiana. Have seen others use it on their cars a couple times since.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    Yes, stored in trunk. I have fought some car fires as a volunteerfire fighter, and the lesson I got was you want to get on a car fire FAST. Once it gets going the car is pretty much toast, literally.

    But once it does get going past ability to snuff it with a handheld fire extinguisher, get AWAY from it — especially don’t stand in front it behind it. Aside from the smoke being really bad for you, various struts and shock absorbing cylinders in the bumpers and hatches can get heated enough to explode and drive the Pistons out at dangerous velocity. There’s a wicked picture of a firefighter with a strut from a hatchback driven through his thigh.

    Prior to being a firefighter I have been with a friend when his car engine caught fire (electrical) and he had a fire extinguisher, which saved further damage. That was right in front of Wright Quad in Bloomington Indiana. Have seen others use it on their cars a couple times since.


    This. A firefighter buddy of mine posted a scary video. 2 man team approached a fully engulfed SUV with a line. As they are hosing down the interior from about 3' away, the tank blew and there was a flashover. (not a violent concussion, just a fireball) They disappeared into the fireball for about a second. Thank God they had all their gear on. Im sure they still got some burns though.
     

    Sylvain

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    I can't find a good way to mount one in the cab and I can't just have it loose under a seat.
    I guess it will have to go in the trunk in the storage bin with the other emergency crap.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Aug 26, 2011
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    I carry am AR15 and a plate carrier in my vehicle too. I dont plan on ever needing them either but I have them just in case.
    I also carry backup mags and a backup gun on me. Backups just in case.
    .
    I also carry a IFAK and a beefed up first aid kit. I hope I never need those either but you must be prepared.
    As gun owners it is easy for us to carry all of the cool stuff but forget the other less cool but sometimes most important of our gear. The fight is over If you bleed to death In under 2 minutes (just an example of a time). Its also over if your 5 year old gets a boo boo and you dont have a spongebob bandaid to "make it feel better".
    Or what if you need to out out a small electrical or engine or brake fire and save your whole car from going up in flames. Or what if you roll over and are on fire or in a wreck and on fire and your seat belt has.locked up and will not release? Do you have a seat belt cutter to get out that is accessible and secure as not to fly around? If you're legs are on fire do you have an extinguisher in reach to hold the flames back long enough for someone to help you out in time?
    Or what if someone is trapped under a burning vehicle and since you have an extinguisher you just saved a life?
    These are scenarios that likely will never happen to us (except the bandaid one) but they have happened to someone and its always better to have it then not to.
    This is why I prepare as best I can. I also carry tools in my vehicle. Also a tire gauge. Which I recently discovered I should have checked the batteries in it sooner, so I bought an old school gauge and now I'm set.
    We prepare.
     

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
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    204   3   0
    Aug 26, 2011
    40,112
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    I can't find a good way to mount one in the cab and I can't just have it loose under a seat.
    I guess it will have to go in the trunk in the storage bin with the other emergency crap.
    I cant remember the brand now but they make rubber straps to secure tools and other gear for off roaders. These can be mounted with screws or you can use 3M double sided TAPE to mount them. They can be attacked to a center console, the back of your seat, floorboard, ect.
     

    Sylvain

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Nov 30, 2010
    77,313
    113
    Normandy
    I carry am AR15 and a plate carrier in my vehicle too. I dont plan on ever needing them either but I have them just in case.
    I also carry backup mags and a backup gun on me. Backups just in case.
    .
    I also carry a IFAK and a beefed up first aid kit. I hope I never need those either but you must be prepared.
    As gun owners it is easy for us to carry all of the cool stuff but forget the other less cool but sometimes most important of our gear. The fight is over If you bleed to death In under 2 minutes (just an example of a time). Its also over if your 5 year old gets a boo boo and you dont have a spongebob bandaid to "make it feel better".
    Or what if you need to out out a small electrical or engine or brake fire and save your whole car from going up in flames. Or what if you roll over and are on fire or in a wreck and on fire and your seat belt has.locked up and will not release? Do you have a seat belt cutter to get out that is accessible and secure as not to fly around? If you're legs are on fire do you have an extinguisher in reach to hold the flames back long enough for someone to help you out in time?
    Or what if someone is trapped under a burning vehicle and since you have an extinguisher you just saved a life?
    These are scenarios that likely will never happen to us (except the bandaid one) but they have happened to someone and its always better to have it then not to.
    This is why I prepare as best I can. I also carry tools in my vehicle. Also a tire gauge. Which I recently discovered I should have checked the batteries in it sooner, so I bought an old school gauge and now I'm set.
    We prepare.

    I wish I had the freedom to carry as much stuff.
     
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