Thursday, July 16, 2015

Speaking of Disasters and Emergencies...

Tamara explains why I don't watch TV in "Still more proof that speciation is well underway."

I mean, what I remember from TV back when I watched it -- and these mental images are from when color TV was still fairly new, and so were UHF stations, ask your grandparents -- were TV cooking shows where they left in footage of the chef throwing a lid on a pan that had flared up, and of "This is why you DON'T use flour to put out a fire!", because apparently someone somewhere had reasoned that she (yes, they said "housewife" back then, ask your grandparents) couldn't get to the baking powder to extinguish her pan fire, so she used flour.

When you're done asking your grandparents about the obscure references above go look up Fuel Air Explosion, AKA Grain Elevator Explosion.

Mind you, as I would comment at Tam's post if she allowed comments, there is a technique to using a fire extinguisher to fight large fires, which one practices in CERT Training, but for a kitchen fire, it's pretty much "Pull the pin, point, and squeeze the handle or push the button", depending on the type of extinguisher.*

Still, the idea of being afraid to use a fire extinguisher is just...

Y'know, I don't know what it is.  But it isn't good.


*Of course there are web pages devoted to "How to use a fire extinguisher". The idea of a "quick reference guide" leaves me... ambivalent. "Oh, look, a fire. I'd better Google "How To Use A Fire Extinguisher..."
And of course there is an acronym.
Which, BTW, we learned in CERT.

3 comments:

Tam said...

"Mind you, as I would comment at Tam's post if she allowed comments, there is a technique to using a fire extinguisher to fight large fires, which one practices in CERT Training..."

We had annual fire extinguisher re-certs when I worked in the SKB corporate flight department. One of my favorite days of the year. They brought out the fire truck. And by that, I don't mean the truck that *puts out* fires. :)

Drang said...

The Kent (WA) Fire Department has a Fie Extinguisher MILES setup for training, before you go out into the tower and use a 6" inch hose on a real fire.

Drang said...

"Fire". Blegh.