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  #1  
Old 10-10-2007, 01:01 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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Default Launch Site Safety

I decided to start a seperate thread dealing with launch site safety.
There has been discussions on another thread, but, I think this is discussion for this thread.

Fred has given great insight into launch site safety, I would say that the rules and regulation in California should be an example for all of us.

Since they deal with dry conditions on a regular basis, it seems knowadays many regions are experiencing very dry conditions as well.

For the most part, model rockets pose a small chance of creating a fire hazard, but, under the right conditions, who knows, and I don't think that we want to find out.

A bucket of water is good as was as a ABC fire extinguisher, this classification can handle a najority of fire that we could come in contact with, I would say a couple of 10 Lb ABC would be a starter.

As Fred has pointed out, mif a rocket crashes, don't just sit there.....ACT........don't REACT.
For every minute that you wait, the fire DOUBLES in size, and, if you are in a remote area, the fire dept won't be there quickly.

Play it safe........
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Old 10-10-2007, 02:24 PM
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For grass and other class A fires, water is better than an ABC extinguisher. If you look at the ratings, they are usually something like 1 or 2 A, and 10 or 20 BC. "A" is the class for ordinary combustibles like paper, wood, grass, etc. I've never seen a consumer's dry chemical "ABC" extinguisher with the "A" class rated over 10. That's a fairly large 20 lb. extinguisher. They won't do a whole lot if it's dry, espically if there's a wind to help spread the fire quickly.

A good flat shovel or flapper works better than any of the other stuff because you will run out of water or an extinguisher's contents pretty quick on anything of any size at all. Just use the flapper or shovel to smother the flames that are headed downwind and go back to get the upwind side after you get the downwind side (the upwind side has to fight against the wind for fresh fuel).

For those of you who don't know, the flapper can be described as a big truck's mud flap mounted on a hoe handle.

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Old 10-10-2007, 02:33 PM
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kurtschachner kurtschachner is offline
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Fire flails are available from Cascade Fire Equipment (where we bought our club fire fighting stuff):

http://www.cascadefire.com/fire-fla...06353da85acd730

However, you will find out that they are quite heavy. Once quickly comes to the conclusion that "real' fire fighters are physically fit!

We also bought indian pumps (er, smokechasers):

http://www.cascadefire.com/smokechaser-p-269.html

which too, are heavy when full.

These days we just bring out those plastic 2-gallon weed sprayers. They work amazingly well and the fine wide-angle setting on the spray nozzle is quite effective against a small grass fire.

I agree that A-B-C extinguishers are not good for grass fires.
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Old 10-10-2007, 02:41 PM
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And FWIW, our club knows about fires. About 10 years ago a club member had a contest model fail and that set Bong Recreation area ablaze in (what to us at least) was a fairly significant area. The member who will remain nameless wasn't a US citizen and he said something to the effect of "in my country I'd be in prison now". Several members including our then-President (not me!) inhaled a lot of smoke trying to fight that fire.

The DNR wardens came but only stood by as the fire burned to the fire breaks they had put in. In the end, no harm done and we were told to "be more careful next time".

There are pictures somewhere....
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Old 10-10-2007, 02:43 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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The best thing is to not get into a situation for a potential fire.

If it's a dry condition, judt don'y fly.

But being prepared is the most important issue, rather, not being prepared.

You may never need your fire fighting equipment, but, it is good to know that it is available.
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Old 10-10-2007, 02:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kurtschachner
Fire flails are available from Cascade Fire Equipment (where we bought our club fire fighting stuff):

http://www.cascadefire.com/fire-fla...06353da85acd730

However, you will find out that they are quite heavy. Once quickly comes to the conclusion that "real' fire fighters are physically fit!


Thank you, kind sir.

Quote:

We also bought indian pumps (er, smokechasers):

http://www.cascadefire.com/smokechaser-p-269.html

which too, are heavy when full.



It's not just that they are too heavy. They don't hold enough water to be effective on any grass fire of decent size. They would be handy if there was no wind and you were close to the fire...basically pad fires. However, if you have to walk any distance and there's any wind at all on a down range lawn dart , a 10 square ft circle of fire will spread to 100 square feet in the blink of an eye...and 1,000 square feet before you can start cussing and hollering for help.

Quote:
These days we just bring out those plastic 2-gallon weed sprayers. They work amazingly well and the fine wide-angle setting on the spray nozzle is quite effective against a small grass fire.

I agree that A-B-C extinguishers are not good for grass fires.


They will be fine for your launch pad area when you can get to the fire before it spreads. However, everyone needs to remember that wind will things from a little joke to a big raging field of smoke and flames in a heartbeat if you don't get to them fairly quickly.
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Old 10-10-2007, 04:09 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kurtschachner
There are pictures somewhere....

You mean something like... this?



I won't say his name either, but for the BTC's out there who should know him from a few years back his initials are PP.

I could've sworn I had another picture somewhere that shows the aftermath, but I can't seem to find it. I'll post it if I come across it.

Now, did I ever tell you guys about the time that another club member fried our contest computer by hooking red to negative and black to positive? I believe his initials are KS.
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Old 10-10-2007, 04:36 PM
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I knew there were other pictures out there. Here's more of them:

http://www.wooshrocketry.org/MWRC/1...c1999photos.htm
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  #9  
Old 10-10-2007, 04:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
You mean something like... this?

I won't say his name either, but for the BTC's out there who should know him from a few years back his initials are PP.

I could've sworn I had another picture somewhere that shows the aftermath, but I can't seem to find it. I'll post it if I come across it.

Now, did I ever tell you guys about the time that another club member fried our contest computer by hooking red to negative and black to positive? I believe his initials are KS.


That picture was when the fire was still relatively small. There's another that shows mostly flames and smoke, at one time it was on our old website.

Red, black, positive, negative, whatever
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Old 10-10-2007, 04:41 PM
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Hey....isn't Bill the resident expert when it comes to range fires? I thought his fire fighting weapon of choice was a jacket....

I had a picture of a fire from NARAM 47 in West Chester Ohio but it got lost when my hard drive failed. We used all the water bladders, water from coolers, ice chests and beatings with articles of clothing to get that fire under control by the time the fire department got there. Just goes to show you, if it can happen at a national event, it can just as easily happen for Joe Blow launching at the school yard.

Speaking of school yards......When I was a member of COSROCS in Colorado Springs, some father took his son out to launch a rocket. No blast deflector....just stuck the rod in the ground. Set a 25 acre area outside Sky Socks Stadium on fire. The local fire department had initially (and wrongfully) accused us of the fire, thinking he was a member of out club. We got in their good graces again after volunteering to teach the errant father and son range safety (I think they eventually joined the club).
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