Blondurant

Do you know what to do if you car catches on fire? I have a fire extinguisher in my car and one day at the track while I was waiting in grid, I was looking at it wondering how to get it out if I needed it. Having caught the grass on fire with my hot tail pipes, this is info that's near & dear. An instructor jumped in the car with me so I asked him. As always, he was a wealth of great info... He said a real risk is if you spin into the dry grass & your car dies, you'll sit there a few seconds and probably catch the grass on fire. And then possibly the car if you can't restart. He offered the following procedures:

1) If the car dies, try to restart. If it won't, completely remove the key from the ignition, reinsert, and try again.

2) If it still won't start and you see/smell a grass fire, remain calm, quick release yourself from your harness and reach for the fire extinguisher. Of course, you can save yourself some grief by bringing "both feet in" and not killing the engine.

3) If the car's on fire, you have to bail. If you have to get out, you might as well have the extinguisher if you can get it quickly. Hence the drill to prepare.

4) If it's safe to do so, find the source of the fire, pull the pin on the extinguisher, and put out the fire. May save you a bundle of money. But money is nothing. Safe yourself first.

Just wanted to pass this along. It'd be a real good idea to visualize this and make a dry run. Most everyone is already proficient with getting out of the harness fairly quickly. But think through the steps, especially removing the key and then reinserting to try & start the car again. This will work most of the time. Also, make sure you know how your extinguisher is attached and how to get at it. Make sure it's in good shape & working order while your at it.

Something to think about. I'm sure others will have more opinions...

Gasser

Yes, all good points. Had a friend set the grass on fire with his car and he moved forward off the grass but if imobilized then he would have had trouble. I looked at my fire bottle and thought it would be hard to reach with out unbelting for sure. I will eventually replace or at least add to my system using a three or four nozel central system. Just pull a handle and spray yourself, engine, fuel tank etc...

I think every track driver should practice getting out of the car quickly. Thats why I removed my drivers side window glass. The little one up front to give me more room to get out in a hurry.

stownsen914

Call me crazy, but I have a fire bottle with three nozzles, AND a hand held extinguisher in my track car. The fire system is aimed at the fuel and oil tanks, the engine, and the driver, so I can get out safely should a fire start (obviously the most important thing). I carry the hand held so that a small grass fire or some other easy-to-extinguish fire doesn't turn into a car consuming blaze, since the on board fire system probably won't help in such cases.

Scott

Blondurant

I'd call you smart! Probably most of the racer's have a full system. This thread was really aimed at us that only have the one extinguisher. You'll have different procedures but y'all should do a fire drill too.

sbelles

Getting out is the first priority. Then, if it's safe, go back for the extinguisher.

Yes, I do fire drills. They look something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDqRy9bhtc

stuttgart46

I agree that we all should practice fast exit procedures, etc. Do it with your helmet on. It makes a big difference getting out of the car in a hurry.

DanR

exactly what I have, when I fitted the multi nossle bottle I was going to remove the hand held, but then kept it just in case of grass fires! not had to use either yet and hope it stays tat way~!

onefastviking

Practice is the key, and keep your eyes closed to simulate a smoke filled car.
I still remember watching a driver try to escape from his burning car with his radio wires still attached, funny and scary at the same time.

Also, when helping another driver (customer many times for me) I refuse to baby sit/pamper them and put on their harnesses etc for them. My thought on this has always been that it is the repetition of putting them on and taking them off that makes you familiar enough to do it fast when the car is on fire.

Veloce Raptor

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

MDL

Thanks for posting this, however I don't understand the significance of removing the key and reinserting it and trying to start again. Does this have something to do with the later model cars?

TR6

Hell, I do that when I'm driving.

Dave in Chicago

I remember the first time I drilled exits with the HANS... that was an eye-opening experience!

Full gear, eyes closed, holding your breath...

Try it with a door that opens, try it with a door that won't, try it out the passenger side...

In a car with a cage/net/harnesses this is a no-brainer. If you've never done this in full gear with someone timing you, you are in for a BIG surprise.

I quickly concluded that if you don't practice the drill and have it broken down in steps, you MIGHT get out of the car, but you are certainly not going to get out of car QUICKLY on your own.

Raise your hand if you can get out either side, door open or closed in 7 seconds.

Tim Pruitt

Good post.

I have the fire suppression system with 3 nozzles too. I think I will re-install the portable bottle for the grass fire scenario.

Thanks,

garrett376

Here on the left coast, the POC in their cup race licensing program has a drill where you have your helmet on, but ALSO have the helmet bag/cover on too, simulating a situation where you can't see! Without being able to see, they'd have everyone shut off the ignition of their own car, remove harnesses, remove window net and get out of the car. It was a great idea - not sure if they still do it, but it's a great idea - especially using the helmet bag to blind you.

APKhaos

NASA MA had a drill for annual tech that required the driver to demonstrate that he could exit the car in 15 seconds. Starting state was full race ready - harnesses, helmet, HANS, side net, window net, etc. It was a truly valuable drill, if for no other reason than it made everyone well aware of the need to have a plan and to be able to execute it smoothly. Practice is essential to get it done in 15 seconds.

Anyone with miltary flying experience undertands blind egress drills, and naval aviators understand blind dunk and invert egress drills. You need to know what to do and have practiced doing it.

Think 15 seconds is quick?
We watched a club member's car go from smoking a little and pullling off track to engulfed in flames in less than that. The Halon and fire suit gave him the time he needed to get out, but fire was through into the interior before he did. A fuel line failed, and the combination of FRP rear bodywork and lexan rear window did the rest. 15 seconds was very close to too slow in this case.