Gloves to use with Fire Extinguisher ?

[Redwing]

I've been thinking about what if I have to put out an engine fire.  First is to open the hood.  Ugh, the thought of sticking my hand into flames to free the latch makes me uneasy.  

Has there been any discussion about having a fire retardent glove or two available for this job?

If not, what do you all think of this idea?

Thank you...

[ksechler]

I always heard you weren't supposed to open the hood.  Gives the fire more oxygen.  I think the best option is to not have a fire.  :-)

 

[Patcon]

A good pair of welders gloves would work for that. Opening the hood might make the fire worse but I don't know how you would extinguish it without being able to target the source...

[Redwing]

That's what I was thinking too.  Thank you...

[Patcon]

you can buy them at lowes or home depot...or order online

[TomoHawk]

Real Leather gloves are naturally fire-resistant, but not that much, so it's better than bare skin, and should be enough to get the bonnet open for the application of  an extinguishing agent-  my favourite is the Flame Out fire extinguishing foam.

[26th-Z]

I find this to be a very silly conversation.  Car fires are very serious.  Do you really think that by the time you figure out that your car is on fire that you will have time to get your gloves out and put them on?  Get your fire extinguisher out and open the hood?  Dude!  Gasoline fires engulf cars in seconds.  Do what the experts tell you - run.  Get out of the car and run.  The fumes alone can kill you.

[psdenno]

I agree.  If a fire starts while you're driving, pull over, turn off ignition, get out, run, call 911, call your insurance company.  Fire extinguishers are handy if you're working on your car, with the hood open, and an engine fire starts.

Dennis

[Mark Maras]

 A few years back my son's 81 RX7 caught fire while sitting in the driveway. Left side of the dash, electrical. If I'd had a glove next to the extinguisher, I wouldn't have gotten blisters from reaching through flaming dripping plastic to reach the hood latch. I was headed for the battery to disconnect it. I think a glove is a great idea. Not all car fires are gasoline. I've also wished I had a hot glove when doing roadside repairs on a hot engine.

 BTW, we saved the car. We had to replace the dash and rebuild the wire harness one wire at a time. It's his daily driver now.

[Chickenman]

I've had to fight several fires with a Fire Extinguisher ( all other peoples calamities )  and have had some training in proper use of a Fire extinguisher by our local Fire Department.

1: You should never be close enough to the fire to need gloves. Period. End of discussion.

2: Gloves are bulky and can interfere with your ability to operate the extinguisher, especially pulling the safety pin which is small and fiddly.

3: Glove take time to put on. Time is of the essence in putting out a fire. Get to a fire quickly when it is small and it can be extinguished relatively easily in most cases. Give it some time to take hold and it becomes exponentially harder.

4: Above all don't panic and don't put yourself in harms way.

 

[Chickenman]

And as others have mentioned... you should be very careful opening the hood. That can create a very dangerous situation,  If you don't know what you'te doing ( and most people don't ) call 911.

Here's a thought,. Call your local Fire Depatment and see if they have any training services that they put on. FD's often perform these as a Community service and for Commercial companies that require some training as part of their Safety protocols.

 

[Pop's Z]

I am a retired firefighter and have been on many car fires. Rule #1: Get out of the car and move away. Rule #2: call 911. Rule #3: DO NOT OPEN THE HOOD! I cannot emphasize this enough. You will let oxygen in and the fire will literally quadruple in size almost instantly, almost explosively possibly burning the crap out of you. You will not see the firefighters open the hood until they have sprayed water or foam through the radiator. Our operating guidelines required full turnout gear AND breathing apparatus for ALL car fires. If you must try to save your car and firefighting professionals are not near and you have access to a dry powder fire extinguisher, aim it through the radiator in the front of the car, but be prepared to get the hell out of the way. I have seen several small car fire scene turned into a major medical trauma by a good Samaritan opening the hood of a car on fire. Also, remember that electrical fires are the hardest ones to put out unless you have access to a CO2 or Halon extinguisher. Your life and the possibility of painful, debilitating burns are NOT worth trying to save a piece of machinery. I love my Zed, but if it's on fire I will call the pros or let it burn. Here's one more reason to let it burn: a fire in the engine room or electrical fire inside will probably end up being a total write-off anyway, so call your insurance company. Be safe people.

 

Cheers, Mike