Tag Archives: fire extinguisher

Nuts & Bolts by Nick: Roots of Structural Awareness

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(Nick is our newest regular Guest Contributor and will be posting, Nuts & Bolts by Nick, the fourth Wednesday of each month.)

I’ll be the first to admit it. Swinging a sledgehammer into a wall can be very therapeutic. As the yin to the yang of construction, demolition is the part of my job that folks always seem to want to try for themselves. Breaking stuff just looks like fun (and easy). But for every bit of The Hulk is an equal part of Isaac Newton. As a general contractor, It’s my job to know what’s inside those walls before I start swinging. To see beyond the plaster into the labyrinth of snaking gas pipes, drain lines, wiring and load bearing studs that–if accidentally damaged–could make for a really bad day.

So what does this have to do with prepping?

In an emergency, or disaster situation, knowing how to interact safely with the structure of your home is a very useful survival skill set. With the varying levels of severity in each emergency, your home presents both differing levels of protection as well as hazards. Balancing these through awareness and understanding will increase your ability to utilize your home as a safe haven when problems arise. That’s where I come in. As someone who has made it their business to see beyond the surface into the inner workings of the home, I hope to bring insight to the relationship between disaster preparedness and structural awareness.

In one of my favorite books, Connections by James Burke, the author begins to explore the interconnectedness of the technology in our lives by asking us to look around where we are sitting and examine the things we see. He challenges us to ponder how many of the things we see do we really understand? How many could we fix or make for ourselves? It can be overwhelming to realize how surrounded you are by complex items that you have come to rely upon for your day-to-day existence. The prospect of trying to learn all of these bits and pieces for yourself can be down right frightening. Forebodingly, in the 1980’s BBC documentary based on his book, Burke is filmed explaining this condition by telling the story of the interruptions caused by the 1965 New York City blackout as he rides an elevator to the top of the World Trade Center. Faced with the feelings of helplessness in an overly complex world we have only two choices: accept fate, or choose to arm ourselves with understanding.

So where to start? Like putting the first can into your food cache, or assembling your first bug out bag, the answer is to start with the simplest things first. Too often preppers focus on total world collapse, while forgetting the common disasters that happen daily. In the U.S. a house fire is reported every 90 seconds. It’s a disaster that’s statistically likely to happen yet so few take precautions. Start by ensuring that you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors placed properly in your home and test them regularly. Keep fire extinguishers in kitchens, garages, work rooms, and on each floor. Test them, as recommended by the manufacturer, and locate them near exit doors rather than near stoves and counters; you don’t want to have to reach through a fire for the extinguisher. Lastly, plan your escape routes and methods then PRACTICE. When your bedroom is ablaze is not the time to learn how your escape ladder works.

By breaking down the whale of structural awareness into the bite size pieces of simple preps, you can move closer toward an understanding of your dwelling that will increase your self-sufficiency, disaster readiness, and overall peace of mind.

Nick’s Bio
Nick is a general contractor who brings construction experience and insights into the realm of emergency preparedness. His business, Mighty Oak Homecraft, is focused on sustainable remodeling, to protect the health of the environment and the dwelling’s occupants. A frequent domestic and international traveler, motorcyclist, outdoorsman and amateur writer and filmmaker, Nick lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife Jen, son Demetri and Boston Terriers Willow and Xena.

Having Your Fire Extinguisher Ready

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Only Seconds to React
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Fire is neither good nor bad, it just is. When the right combination of fuel, oxygen, and an ignition source combine there will be fire. It can be a lifesaving asset providing light, cooking, and heat – or it can be property and life destroying.

Though fire safety has many aspects* today we’re going to discuss fire extinguishers. As preppers we should build in redundancies and safety. If the power goes out, we start up the generator and cook over propane; if those fail, we light lanterns and cook over a small fire. But most of us aren’t use to using fire on a routine basis; we can get complacent or careless and accidents can happen. To mitigate those risks, and keep you loved ones and home safe, consider keeping a fire extinguisher within arms reach of an open flame. No one means to knock over the kerosene lantern, but if suddenly the counter is engulfed in flame you have seconds to make decision.

In that situation, if the fire is small and not spreading, grab the extinguisher. Start with your back to the exit, making sure the fire does not block your escape route. Stand about six feet away from the fire. Then, as fire departments teach, use the PASS word:

  • Pull the pin to unlock the fire extinguisher
  • Aim at the base (bottom) of the fire
  • Squeeze the lever to discharge the agent
  • Sweep the spray from left to right until the flames are totally extinguished

A typical fire extinguisher contains ten seconds of extinguishing power. You cannot use fire extinguishers more than once, they must be replaced or refilled if used.

For home use, there are typically two categories of extinguishers: 1) a less expensive, plastic top, disposable type and 2) a metal top, rechargeable type. Professionals recommend the rechargeable ones; they initially cost more, but are far more reliable, can be serviced, and have a longer shelf-life.

There are no laws regarding home fire extinguisher inspections, however it is recommended that twice a year you inspect your extinguisher. You should check:

  • the pressure gauge arrow to be sure it’s full (straight up on the gauge in the green area).
  • the hose and nozzle for cracks, tears or blockage.
  • the pin and tamper seal to ensure they are intact.
  • that the handle-locking device is in place.
  • for dents, leaks, rust, chemical deposits and/or other signs of abuse or wear.

At the end of your inspection turn the extinguisher upside down and hit the bottom sharply with your hand, then shake it well. This will prevent the dry chemical powder from settling or packing down in the cylinder, making it ineffective.

Most rechargeable dry chemical fire extinguishers, if properly handled and maintained, have a lifespan of 5 – 15 years. If your extinguisher is 5 years old bring it in to a local service center and have it inspected (costs about $20). If your extinguisher is over 12 years old, it needs to be hydrostatically tested and recharged by a qualified service technician (they’ll probably just swap you for one that’s been recently tested).

Remember fire doesn’t care, so you need to.

(Friday: What I Did This Week To Prep)

*Dr. Bones, of the Doom & Bloom Show, recently wrote posts on Smoke Inhalation and Natural Burn Treatments. Both of these topics are huge fire safety aspects; these posts  contain good information and are definitely worth reading.