Part of Lesson Plan: Fire Safety and Shop Emergencies

Activity Overview / Details

Using a metal tray (at least 4' X 4' with 6" tall sides just to be safe ) fill with a thin layer of diesel. It can be lit with one of those extra thick, long fire pit matches THAT IS ALSO attached (with duct tape) to an 8' pole. It is important to not light directly, which the specialist will be trained to set up properly. Next demonstrate how to safely put out the fire using sweeping motions that do not expel the fuel out of the burn area. With the following steps: 1) Pull the pin 2) press the lever 3) Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire starting 15' out coming in very low 4) Sweep back and forth until the fire is out.

It is important to stress to students that standing too close to the fire intitally and directing a solid, unmoving stream of retardant from the extenguisher at the fire and its fuel source will simply launch the burning fuel all over the place and create a much worse situation.

In the event that it is not possible to conduct this activity directly on-campus with your students, there are a number of good instructional videos online that show the proper PASS (Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, Squeeze the trigger, Sweep slowly side to side) technique as well. One is provided below.