Defense Fire Suppression - What Plans do You have in place in the Event of a Fire?

[packyderms_wife]

Fire Suppression - What Plans do You have in place in the Event of a Fire?


Starting this thread based upon a comment that was made in my bugout thread. Also if you have some ideas you'd like to share about your fire fighting set up that would be great! Fires can range anywhere from an appliance that suddenly developed an attitude, to a forest fire, grass fire, lightening strike, or outright arson.

Heck I know of one individual whose house burnt down because a bird (presumed) picked up a lit cigarette and dropped it into the leaf litter in a gutter on their house. Stuff happens. How prepared are you for a fire?

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?521755-Are-you-Physically-Capable-of-Bugging-Out

fire - not a prep topic that gets near enough attention - you're not alone when it comes to fire spread in a SHTF - individual homeowners are in the same boot ....

don't know how many times I've read preppers that have spent $1,000s on prepping - and don't have a simple single use extinguisher in the kitchen for the everyday SHTF ....

it's a separate prepping plan all to itself - required supplies - necessary procedures - tactics - skills - prepared home installations ....

 

[packyderms_wife]

If there's a mod hanging around is it possible to make this thread multiple choice?

 

[Raggedyman]

we have tin roof and hardy board siding. property cleared for minimum of 75' to both sides and rear; 1/4 mile of pasture in front. there are slopes directly behind us (N) and to the E & W of us. fire burns UP hill. 1700 gal water in tank 50' above the house with 2 yard hydrants and hoses set to go. that same 1700 gal can also be fed into the house. firefighter SIL in Orlando has several cases of fire retardant materials that can be spread around the property and when sprayed with water turn into foam - I don't know what the product is called but he has several cases of it for me. next trip either of us makes it will get back here.

can't really do much more than that

ETA: multiple fire extinguishers throughout the house shop and barn

 

[Kathy in WV]

Metal roofs, fire extinguishers in hot spots, baking soda, fire break areas, 4000gal water tanks.
***putting in a pond and hydrant next.

 

[Thunderbird]

Unless it is a very small fire and you have fire extinguishers in your hand, Get the hell out.
I speak from experience having lost our home to fire a year and a half ago. Our metal roof hindered the efforts of the fire fighters.
Not an advantage.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Unless it is a very small fire and you have fire extinguishers in your hand, Get the hell out.
I speak from experience having lost our home to fire a year and a half ago. Our metal roof hindered the efforts of the fire fighters.
Not an advantage.

This is very interesting to know about a metal roof!

 

[Publius]

We have 5 dry powder fire extinguisher's in the house and all of them are 10 pounders.

 

[biere]

I always keep a big box of baking soda by the kitchen stove, love my bacon and grease and do worry about a fire there.

In thinking about it I started actually stocking more and more of it just cause I figure it is easy to store.

Fire extinguishers are something I am always looking to buy. I prefer the commercial units that can be tested and refilled. I have a couple cheaper ones and they seem worse about clumping and needing shaken every now and then to make sure the powder in them is not one solid clump when needed.

On water, an outside hydrant can be a biggy. And I am talking one away from the house. Won't put out the fire but might help spread. I have a fair bit of hose as well.

Somewhat considering a gravity fed 330 gallon plastic tote for both water storage as well as potential fire needs.

Just keeping the grass short around the house and trees away from the house can help in some cases.

I understand a metal roof might be harder to put a hole into for the fire fighters but I consider a metal roof worth it for stopping sparks that land on the roof.

Anytime I cook, use a kerosene or propane heater, have a campfire outside, and all sorts of other stuff I take precautions to make sure I can handle things if it starts to get out of hand. Just being there is a precaution, walking away from a stove is when something can happen and get a firm start and you don't know it.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I always keep a big box of baking soda by the kitchen stove, love my bacon and grease and do worry about a fire there.

In thinking about it I started actually stocking more and more of it just cause I figure it is easy to store.

Fire extinguishers are something I am always looking to buy. I prefer the commercial units that can be tested and refilled. I have a couple cheaper ones and they seem worse about clumping and needing shaken every now and then to make sure the powder in them is not one solid clump when needed.

On water, an outside hydrant can be a biggy. And I am talking one away from the house. Won't put out the fire but might help spread. I have a fair bit of hose as well.

Somewhat considering a gravity fed 330 gallon plastic tote for both water storage as well as potential fire needs.

Just keeping the grass short around the house and trees away from the house can help in some cases.

I understand a metal roof might be harder to put a hole into for the fire fighters but I consider a metal roof worth it for stopping sparks that land on the roof.

Anytime I cook, use a kerosene or propane heater, have a campfire outside, and all sorts of other stuff I take precautions to make sure I can handle things if it starts to get out of hand. Just being there is a precaution, walking away from a stove is when something can happen and get a firm start and you don't know it.

one addition that most homeowner should have and rarely do - garden hose bib hook ups inside the home - most have one on the water heater for tank clearing and that's it ....

could be situations in a SHTF where homeowner fire extinguishers just can't handle the job - being able to put a 5/8'' garden hose to the job could be enough to save the situation ....

 

[Raggedyman]

one addition that most homeowner should have and rarely do - garden hose bib hook ups inside the home - most have one on the water heater for tank clearing and that's it ....

could be situations in a SHTF where homeowner fire extinguishers just can't handle the job - being able to put a 5/8'' garden hose to the job could be enough to save the situation ....

We have 5 dry powder fire extinguisher's in the house and all of them are 10 pounders.

I'm glad to see this thread pop up again, becasue I had a huge dose of reality check that made me realize how NAKED we REALLY ARE here.

when I first responded to this thread (post #3) I thought we were in pretty good stead. well I had an eye opening experience. both my son and SIL are firefighters in Orlando. in early November the son was up and I asked him what he thought of our fire preps - he walked around pointing out the HUGE HOLES he saw.

to begin with he pointed out that ALL OF US are our own first line of defense. in our case because we are VERY rural (even though the VFD is EXCELLENT ) there is no way they'd get here before we were fully engulfed and all that would be possible would be to watch it burn and protect other nearby structures. he said that smoke/fire alarms needed to be replaced every 10 yrs MAXIMUM and 5-7 yrs was preferred and ours were over due. there should be several more than what we had. he suggested we get the combination smoke fire and carbon monoxide alarms in ANY spaces where combustion occurred. there are two wood stoves and two propane furnace spaces. I also added one of those combination smoke fire and carbon monoxide alarms to the master bedroom there's a fireplace in there.

he said we had adequate dry chem extinguishers and they were well placed but that not only are their contents EXTREMELY CORROSIVE there were many instances where a water can extinguisher would be much more useful.

I added 5 of AMEREX 240 water cans to the arsenal in addition to the 6 dry chem bottles we have between the house and shop. the water cans hold 2.5 gal of water and are charged with 100 lbs of air by the compressor in the shop. the range is 55 feet well beyond that of the dry chem bottle

here is the cheapest source I found for those water cans https://www.zoro.com/amerex-fire-extinguisher-water-fire-a-2a-240/i/G4279003/ and I am GLAD for all of them.

the last thing he did was have me watch a few you tube videos of just how fast a fire spreads in the typical room (I was BLOWN away by that) and how effective the water can extinguisher REALLY IS.

Stages of fire growth (run time 1'47")

Christmas tree fires can turn devastating and deadly within seconds (run time 1'31")

Fire Dept. House Fire Exterior Attack Using 1/2.5 Gal Extinguisher (run time 55')

last but not least - a bit longer - but a REAL education on the water can:
Fire Attack - Using a "Can" (run time 11'30")

I would encourage you to STRONGLY CONSIDER adding a water can to your fire suppression arsenal, and I would like to thank Packy for starting this incredibly important thread.

 

[Illini Warrior]

here's a detail firefighting plan that a guy put together for his home - might be a little overboard in places but he has good detail on some aspects that are important - if nothing else he has vendor links for the equipment he used ....

https://www.neilgunton.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=19364

 

[Hfcomms]

I used to service extinguishers and fire suppression systems so this is something I'm keenly aware of. I live in the woods and heat with wood primarily and this time of year if there is a structure fire up here more often than not it's because of a chimney fire that spreads too fast to be put out. If you heat with wood the wood needs to be seasoned well to cut down on creosote build up, the chimney needs to be cleaned annually or more often and you need to burn your fires hot [but not too hot!] again to cut down on creosote build up. I've seen so many cold smoky fires up here coming out of the chimneys and I know that is a chimney fire waiting to happen.

I have #30 lb cartridge operated dry chemical units on my outbuildings as well as on the power pole. In my workshop I have dry chemical as well as Halon hand portables and in my cabin I also have Halon hand portable units. Halon isn't made any more of course but you can get FE-36 [clean guard] and others that don't leave the residue that the dry chemical units have. ABC dry chemical puts out fire all right and is better than having your house burn down but to save they leave a mess is an understatement. I've snorted enough dry chemical that I'm pretty immune to it but I'd rather be hit in the face with mace or CS agent then get a face full of ABC dry chemical...hands down!

In the area of fire preps prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. Do your chimney sweeps, have enough hand portable units and make sure everyone knows how to use them. If you heat with wood make sure your really constrict your dampers if your going out for awhile or leaving for work especially if it's windy outside. As has been mentioned the volunteer fire departments are great but more often than not the structure is beyond being saved by the time they arrive. Another area of preps that can't be overlooked.

 

[Siskiyoumom]

We have 100 to 300 feet of defensible space around the house, a roof and under eve sprinkler system, sprinklers and fire hose. Got a large 5,000 metal sided pool and fire hose water pump, foaming fire retardant yo spray on the house, fire foil to put over vents and under the bottom half of the cabin. Good neighbors who helped us save our house in last years wild land fire. Clean our wood stove pipes tearly, Fire extinguishers in the House, and know that property is replaceable but our lives are not. Have evacuated the place four times in five years. By the grace of God, fight fighters and neighbors we still have our hone. Keeping a tidy homestead makes it safer for us and fire fighters.

 

[Illini Warrior]

We have 100 to 300 feet of defensible space around the house, a roof and under eve sprinkler system, sprinklers and fire hose. Got a large 5,000 metal sided pool and fire hose water pump, foaming fire retardant yo spray on the house, fire foil to put over vents and under the bottom half of the cabin. Good neighbors who helped us save our house in last years wild land fire. Clean our wood stove pipes tearly, Fire extinguishers in the House, and know that property is replaceable but our lives are not. Have evacuated the place four times in five years. By the grace of God, fight fighters and neighbors we still have our hone. Keeping a tidy homestead makes it safer for us and fire fighters.

I'm assuming that the roof sprinkler system is tied into your regular water supply >>> do you have means to pump out of your pool and tie into that system?

 

[Pinecone]

Great thread. You might want to put something on main so more people will see it.