Date:         Thu, 30 Sep 2010 21:03:42 -0700
Reply-To:     Annie <lsandrsn@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Annie <lsandrsn@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fire Prevention Week (Was: Always Look Under A Bus!)
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTin5HYx8PBF235ivJJqOKUj25D66Q7q+Smt7e9mb@mail.gmail.com>
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Speaking of fire extinguishers -

Is there a particular type/kind/style etc of fire extinguisher I should be
carrying in my van? The place you have yours mounted sounds like a great
setup. Do you have any pictures?

 *Annie Anderson* Blogger, Designer, Thinker & Mom
web: annieandersonblog.com email: lsandrsn@gmail.com
twitter: silverlunace <http://twitter.com/silverlunace> facebook:
anniesanderson <http://facebook.com/anniesanderson>
*Blazin' a trail where there is no path.*

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 8:44 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

>  I've raced sports cars a lot and fire safety is a big concern in that.  So
> I set my vanagon up similar to my race car with an extinguisher reachable
> from the driver's seat.
>
>  Mine is farily small, mounted on a secure bracket that is screwed into the
> base of the passenger's seat just below the seat itself.  The bracket
> should
> be capable of containing the fire bottle in the event of a roll over or a
> big crash...Race drivers have been killed by flying fire extinguishers
> flying around inside.  The fire ext. should be easily released from it's
> bracket and be ready to use right then...So, if I have a fire aboard or
> come
> upon another flaming vehicle, I can lean across and grab that extinguisher
> on my way out the door, almost.   And if I am parked on a busy highway, I
> can get to it by opening the passenger door and grabbing it.
>
>  For me, that seems enough...l am no 'belt AND suspenders' guy so over
> preparedness is not my style..one should do in most cases.
>
>  In my racecar I also had an "onboard fire supression system" which was a
> slightly larger extinguisher, mounted on my roll cage with a couple of
> copper lines...one to roof right over the driver's head and one into the
> engine bay.  A pull handle activated the system and we were also required
> to
> have an outside handle for track workers in case we got knocked out.  Those
> worked really well and were inexpensive and easily maintaned, in case
> anyone
> is really worried about burning up...
>  One other racecar safety requirment that might be a good idea on a vanagon
> is a master power switch...Kinda like those marine battery switches you
> see,
> but these, too worked with a remote cable pull reachable both by the driver
> in position and by track workers from outside the vehicle.  A nice big red
> handle with "Off" somewhere near the driver might come in handy in case of
> a
> fuel leak or an accident...pull the switch, grab the extinguisher and bail
> out!
>
>  Don Hanson
> <snip>
>