Fire Mastery - Firefighting, heating and cooking without the Grid
SurviveAndThrivePhiladelphia.org
The Grid is all infrastructure. Food/Medical/Energy/Communications/Transport/Currency/Police/EMS/Fire
We will keep in mind that we may have Grid up, Grid down or Grid teetering emergencies to deal with at some point in our lives. Stacking the odds in our favor. All S&T topics are approached with this in mind so that we are not prepping for any one event but we empower ourselves, add skills and sharpen our instincts for each and every day that we draw breath.
Fire draws breath too. Fire needs heat, oxygen and fuel to live and have a self sustaining chemical reaction. We've had fun spending outdoor time learning about tinder/kindling/fuel before and how to start fires without matches but today we focus on controling this beast that serves us so well.
To put out a fire you must : 1) cool or remove the source that is causing the burning process, 2) exclude the air supply that the fire needs to burn, 3) remove the new fuel that the fire will use to continue the burning.
Types of Fire-
Class A - ordinary combustibles ( wood , vegetation , plastics) anything that leaves an ash .
Best fought with water and smothering ( sand , dirt, wet blanket )
Class B - flammable liquids and gases ( gasoline , meth lab , cooking grease , propane , alcohol , kerosene ) These fires are capable of flowing and can be pushed around or increase in intensity when sprayed with water. They can also reignite if the stream of the extinguishing agent is interrupted or blown off by the wind. Often with Class B fires the vapors will collect in confined areas and will explode if they contact an ignition source. Keep air flowing to prevent this buildup ( bust out or otherwise open windows and doors ) . If possible shut off the source like a gas main valve or propane tank .
Class C - involves energized electrical equipment ( power distribution panels, electric motors , computers ) The main threat here is electrocution , NEVER use water on a Class C. Once the power is cut then it can be handled as a Class A or B. Baking soda is a good extinguishing agent for smaller Class B and C fires.
Class D - burning of combustible metals ( magnesium , aluminum , car fires ) unless you have a Class D
extinguisher ( or it is a small fire and is smotherable with sand and dirt) , let it burn out. If you hose it down with water then molten metal may explode and scatter around the area. You can hose off combustibles ( potential Class As and Bs ) around the Class D fire to keep it from spreading.
Kitchen fires are the most common, stovetop fires ( grease , pot on fire ) can be smothered with a tight fitting lid ,then use oven mitts and potholders to calmly walk it outside. Oven fires can be easily controlled in the early stages. First turn off the heat , prepare the extinguisher , put oven mitts on, stand off to the side as to avoid the burst of superheated air that will rush out when you open the oven. Fresh oxygen may flare up the fire inside so be careful. An oven is pretty much a fireproof box but you should check all surrounding cabinetry for hidden fire. Identify NOW where all of the gas/propane / electrical main switches are in and around your home, be prepared to shut off yours’ as well as your neighbor’s lines in case of an emergency. If you are caught in a dwelling on fire, stay calm, stay low , if you can’t see wear you are going then follow a wall by touch to a safer zone. Don’t overlook the basics here - keep fresh batteries in smoke detectors , plan and practice a family evacuation. Smoke mixed with panic kills far more people than Fire herself does.
Extinguisher basics -
Remember to PASS ! Pull Aim Squeeze Sweep. When you use an extinguisher you should -
Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire (keep the wind at your back!) , Squeeze the top lever and keep it upright, Sweep from side to side ( start low and work toward the rear of the area on fire)
If the extinguisher is too heavy to carry then drag it. Dry Chem extinguishers are non toxic but very irritating to the nose and lungs, wear a mask when dealing with the clean up. Keep multiple extinguishers on every floor of your home and in your car. They are often found unused in flea markets and yard sales for very little money but they will still do the job. You cannot have too many fire extinguishers in your home. Pressure pump spray canisters like those used to water or apply pesticide and fertilizer to plants when filled with just water are a terrific way to stack the odds in your favor when it comes to stopping a small fire in time. Ideally you should be able to reach your entire property. If you are in an apartment , you can buy a faucet -to- hose adapter for a couple of dollars. Also learn the locations of “ House Lines” in a high rise. These are 75 to 100 foot long fire hoses stationed in glass cabinets, remember to ALWAYS pull the line out and clear all kinks from the line BEFORE turning the water on.
Heating when the grid is down can be very challenging and dangerous from a variety of angles.
Hyper vigilance and respect must be given to this topic.
The first key for keeping warm is insulation. Dead air space is the most effective concept to hold in mind. Layers of blankets on the floor above you , layers of blankets over doorways , clothes and newspaper crumpled and stuffed into window spaces then covered with plastic sheeting and duct tape ( also seal up electric outlets). Consider heating a small space such as one room or even a tent within a room. Sleeping bags and layered clothing go a long way here. Often small lamps ( kerosene , propane ) and candles give off a significant amount of heat in a confined space but beware of carbon monoxide poisoning as it is odorless and lethal.
Heating options -
Alcohol( 90% rubbing alcohol , 180 proof Grain liquor , hand sanitizer, denatured alcohol , methanol and ethanol ) will not create Carbon Monoxide when burned in stoves, zippo lighters , hurricane lamps etc. It does not burn as brightly but it is clean burning and when spilled will evaporate without a trace residue. This a tremendous advantage over petroleum based fuels. In a lamp , 12 oz of alcohol will burn for over 24 hours with a wick that is kept low. Alcohol is very safe and easy to store and transport , it burns at around 1400 BTUs . It is a little bulkier ( energy output by volume ) than petro based fuels but the safety factor far outweighs this fact. Also this is a fuel that can be made very simply by anyone.
Keroseneheaters are cheap , common and powerful but they stink. Stocking up on the heaters , latex gloves , siphons and fuel is a viable option for short and mid term survival heating. They are easy to come by on Craig’s List and Freecycle for
little or no money. There are two main types 1.) is the cylindrical style and 2.) is the rectangular style.
Both perform about the same. The big difference is the removable fuel tank in the rectangular type.
This tank can be removed while the heater is still working and quickly refilled with kerosene in a remote space ( like a garage or backyard) . This advantage is important because Kerosene stinks and is ALWAYS messy when refilling. Use gloves and a siphon , stock up on fuel cans. Never light any Kerosene heater indoors, always light it outside and let it burn for a few minutes before bringing it in.
One gallon of kerosene will burn for 24hours on a low - medium heat setting.
Propane heaters and grills are also solid options. Remember to plan ahead for fuel use ( and to use as barter items). You may want to memorize where propane cylinders are sold in your area , as well as pay attention to what sorts of locks are used to secure them. Bolt cutters are good tools to have.
Small woodstoves ( MilSpec and camping type) can be fitted to use an exhaust vent from a water heater or home heating unit as a temporary chimney. Eventually there will be build up of residue on the interior of the pipe, it will build up much faster with the burning of soft wood ( Pine and conifers) as opposed to hard wood (Oak , Cherry , Walnut). Wood is not an efficient way to heat your space long term but it does allow for your fuel source to be replenished in a post grid scenario. Be aware of your signature in scent ( smoke and cooking food) lest you attract unwanted visitors.
Solar ovens and solar stills are good options to have on hand . A quality solar oven can bake bread and cook a wide variety of foods. Solar showers are a good way to heat water for hygienic purposes, however the solar options are dependent on a steady supply of sunlight and so are not completely reliable.
Boiling water for cooking food and sterilizing drinking water is essential. Distilling water is the SAFEST and SIMPLIST route that you can go. Distilling is just capturing steam after the boiled water has released the impurities by shifting into a gaseous state . One way to do this is to secure a tall GLASS inverted overtop of the spout on a tea pot. As the steam condenses , just collect what comes out of the upside down glass. Always use glass or metal for this , never plastic.
Alcohol stoves are ideal for simply boiling water , one small soda can stove with 1 - 2 oz of fuel will bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil in less than 3 minutes. We will teach how to make closed jet stoves at the meetup , but this website is a terrific resource to do more research on your own:
As always , none of this information is worth a thing if you don’t apply it NOW, figure out what actually works best for your living situation. The File section of the Survive and Thrive website is jam packed with practical guides on all things related to self sufficiency and sustainability .
Stay warm. Peace be with you.