October 27, 2016
Fire Prevention and Issues in
“fighting” a Model T Fire
Presentation at October 2016 general meeting by Paul Duncan and Neil O’Brien
Fire Prevention:
The Best approach to Model T fire safety is to prevent them in the first place. An excellent discussion regarding fire prevention in a Model T garage appears on the Model T Ford forum in September 2012 and under the Title: Garage Safety. Fire Prevention.
The participants on the forum remind us that one should not have gas fumes around Model T’s as there should not be gas leaking. Remember to install and use a gas shut-off valve in the gas line before the carburetor. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and tends to stay low in the garage. It is prudent not to have open flame heaters or pilot lights in the garage area. Consider installing an electric water heater. Check your local codes for the proper location of furnaces in a garage where automobiles reside. Store flammable liquids in closed containers.
Putting Out a Fire
Neil emphasized that if one has a garage fire a call to 911 should be made immediately. Don’t assume that you will be able to put out the fire with your shop extinguisher. He recommends at least a 5 pound ABC fire extinguisher. The letters indicate the type of material burning. The A stands for Trash, wood and paper. The B stands for flammable liquid fires. The C relates to electrical equipment fires. There also are rating numbers such as 2-A:10BC printed on the extinguisher and these indicate the “power” of the extinguisher. A 5 pound extinguisher is probably the smallest one should have in the garage. The small 2.5 pound extinguishers are often disposable and are convenient for size in the model T but have limitations. Neil showed a large extinguisher-10 pound +- he has in his shop.
Extinguishers should be checked regularly for charge and they should be periodically shaken to break up any crusting of the powder. Refillable extinguishers can be recharged in Albuquerque at a number of locations.
I (PRD) have visited two sites:
1. Safety Flare Inc. at 2803 Richmond Drive 505-884-2274. They both sell and will recharge and service existing fire extinguishers. They charge $7.50 to recharge a 2.5 pound unit( small) and $10.50 for a 5 pound unit.
2. Fire Safety Industries at 3428 Stanford NE (near Dean Van Doren’s shop) 505-888-4494. They sell and service extinguishers and their prices are comparable with Safety Flare.
October is national fire prevention month.
Please be safe.