SAFETY FIRST - Fire! Fire! Fire

FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!

By David Nehrbass

One of the most challenging hazards that can occur anytime in Off Road Racing is the threat of Fire. Fire can damage vehicles, damage the terrain we race in and above all, injure racers, crew members, and bystanders. It will never be eliminated; however, how each and everyone of us responds to it, can decide if it is a quick incident or a catastrophic event. The simple act of pulling over to change a tire can result in a fi re from dried brush and exposure to hot vehicle parts. Recently in Laughlin, a racer lost a tire and was forced to pull over. Within seconds, a fi re started from the dried brush. Flames quickly spread and were inside the race vehicle from underneath. Fortunately, quick recognition, and responsive actions put a small fi re out quickly. In off -road motorsports, racers and crew are exposed to many diff erent types of fi re hazards. The most obvious is high octane race fuels. Fuel in the vehicle, drums and jugs to fi ll them with, and even the method of fuel delivery for fueling vehicles are just some of the hazards. A simple spark can take a normal race day and turn it into a burned car and trip to the hospital. In pit areas, every team at every pit even when not fueling a race car, should have someone devoted to fi re safety during pit stops. If you don’t have the extra bodies, talk to those next to you and ask them to watch you and help protect you. While everyone is a competitor in the

desert, the camaraderie within off road should include be looking out for one another in the close confi nes of a designated pit. Fire Extinguishers should always be out, in good condition and ready to go. they should not be in a truck and certainly not in a box so they can be returned to the store after the race! While out on the course, fi res can be even more threatening due to lack of resources, response times, and time to attack. When you are alone or with just a co-driver, proper use of your limited extinguishers can be critical. The most common extinguisher used in off road in the Dry Chemical extinguisher. Some teams also have Foam as well as CO2 extinguishers available. While all are eff ective on all fi res experienced in off road, all can be ineff ective if not used properly when a fi re happens.

Fighting every fi re should always follow the P.A.S.S. method.

P – Pull the pin from the fi re extinguisher.

This may seem like a given but our teams have found many extinguishers with bent handles with the pins in place at fi re scenes. Panic can cause someone to squeeze the handle and not activate the extinguisher.

A – Aim the extinguisher.

Point the nozzle at the base of the fi re. A fl ame could be 10 feet in the air but the base is what is burning and needs to be extinguished.

S – Squeeze the Handle. S – Sweep from side to side.

This is where you make the diff erence. Sweep the base of the fi re side to side making sure it is out before you stop discharging the agent onto the fi re. 5lb fi re extinguishers on most race vehicles have an eff ective range of around 15 feet for less than 14 seconds. The 2.5 extinguishers operate

for less than 10 seconds for about eight feet of eff ective use. Under BITD Rules, many fuel pits are required to carry and have ready 20lb fi re extinguishers. These bigger units will discharge large quantities of agent in 20 seconds within 20 feet of a fi re and have signifi cant more fi re knockdown capability. It should be noted that in all fi re situations, regardless if it is in the pits or the open desert, the occupants of the vehicle should always be the fi rst priority in any fi re. Get them out and get them safe! Do not ever resume any normal pit duties until the fi re and imminent threat have been eliminated. Fire protection and response has made substantial improvements in our sport the last several years. Together with better prevention, better protection and better response when something happens, we can make a diff erence in our sport.

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