Belt bottles

[numbersix]

I've noticed that some bike marshals have a small powder extinguisher on their belts but I have yet to see a car-race marshal with one.

Due to huge improvements in the safety of cars, major fires are now very rare. Is there now a case for smaller, portable bottles in addition to the normal ones?

The potential for a large fire is greater on cars, due to larger tanks, so carrying a full bottle to every incident is still vital. But in many cases marshals are sited in pairs, and one marshal carries the main bottle to each incident while flash-harry, (sorry, the faster marshal) leaps like a springing gazelle over the tyre wall and gets to the car well in advance of Thunderbird Two, but without any means to deal with an unexpected flash fire.

I'm just wondering why I've never seen the bike idea adopted by anyone in the car fraternity.

[Mike Kelly 1]

Nice idea, but who would pay / maintain / replace them?

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly 1

Nice idea, but who would pay / maintain / replace them?

A good question. Do the Bike Boys get any kind of 'contribution' to their kit I wonder?

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally Posted by numbersix

But in many cases marshals are sited in pairs, and one marshal carries the main bottle to each incident while flash-harry, (sorry, the faster marshal) leaps like a springing gazelle over the tyre wall and gets to the car well in advance of Thunderbird Two, but without any means to deal with an unexpected flash fire.

There's your answer in my opinion!
Always expect the unexpected.
Only fools rush in!
(Cliche day today!)

[scorch]

I would have thought that a bike fire is going to be a lot smaller than a car, and a 2kg powder wold be adequate. But if a car is on fire will usually need something a bit more.

The other point is that the rider is usaally seperate from the bike, so it's almost less urgent to put the fire out. obviously the rider can be trapped under the bike, but i would have considered this less likely. (wait for a string of posts saying how they had a rider trapped under a burning bike).

we could talk about the differences betweeen car and bike marshalling till the cows come home...

[danccooke]

Major Fires very rare??? two words

Formula Masters.........

[Mike Kelly 1]

Funnily enough Dan , Mr Tull and myself had a formula fire to deal with on the Saturday!

[danccooke]

I know I watched on from post20, apparently they are Alfa Romeo ( or so i was told) perhaps thats why they have a small tendancy to burst into flames.
We they saw you replenishing your Bulb storage later on Sunday. If you will wear a tangerine/peach coloured suit.

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by danccooke

Major Fires very rare??? two words

Formula Masters.........

I'm glad you're on this thread. You were first on scene at the Goodwood Revival crash (blooming good marshalling too. Y' made me feel all proud ). That day might have been interesting had the other troops been further away and the fire taken hold.

Based on a poll-thread, last year I think, about how many marshals had encountered any fire at all, the answer, if I recall, was norralot.

Unless, of course, you have 'Arsonist' included in the hobbies section of your CV?

Has this been a bumper year for fires then? Not had one myself.

[Robin_D]

I've had 2 this year. But are these belt bottles really necessary? I really don't think they are.

Yes some fires are small enough that you can get away with only a bit. But then others are not and you may have to wait for a bigger extinguisher to get there. We aren't in the days of the 60's when fire's were happening more often and marshals were next to poorly trained.

That is all my opinion of course

[gachjoel]

At a guess it might have summit to do with there`s a lot more bits on a car that can go up in flames.
Plus if it is on a belt,it could severly hinder you when dealing with a car,even if you aint got a fire,the bottle will be there,and i don`t think the driver would like futher damage to his car with a small fire bottle(imo)

given the choice of a large or small bottle,i would grab the large bottle every time.

[danccooke]

"Given the choice of the large or a small bottle, you'll take the large"

what about the extinguishers though Gachjoel????

[Mike Kelly 1]

Originally Posted by danccooke

If you will wear a tangerine/peach coloured suit.

Its very faded orange!

[danccooke]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly 1

Its very faded hairline!

We know Mike, we know.

sorry boring day at work.

[CombeMarshal]

Funny that, a Car Marshal at Combe got told off for putting a bike out, maybe he wanted to use his little toy!!

I've had to put out 6 fires this year (plus training days!), and were not done this year yet!
It's been hell of a year for fires has 07!!

[gwar]

Originally Posted by numbersix

I've noticed that some bike marshals have a small powder extinguisher on their belts but I have yet to see a car-race marshal with one.


I'm just wondering why I've never seen the bike idea adopted by anyone in the car fraternity.

Your proberly refering to NEIL at the bsb from donny at the weekend, (zz top look-alike as descibed by presenters)
The bottle he uses is his own, as per car marshalls we use the circuit bottles, powder and foam, Neil just prefers to have his own -to hand.
I guess we all like our little bits and pieces to make life a bit easier for ourselfs, ie; glass hammers, cutters ect.....
As some one else says the rider isnt usally with the bike when its down, we still take bottles out when theres an accident.

[danccooke]

I have seen more fires this year than for the last couple. Two fires in the last three meets. I might not have put it out personally but there defo seem to have been a few about this year, I think it depends on the type of meets you go to as well. There is less chance of a BTCC car bursting into flames than say a Bizzarini when they crash. (that is not to say BTCC cars don't catch fire you understand).
I would rather take a few seconds extra to get to the fire and have enough to put the fire out, I have seen Marshals at a mud track roundy roundy american type thing, turn up with one of those 2kg bottles. Having seen how effective they are on a car sized blazing fire, I would unzip my overalls first and use it bottle second once I have run out of wee. (ok a little harsh but you know what I mean)

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by danccooke

"Given the choice of the large or a small bottle, you'll take the large"

what about the extinguishers though Gachjoel????

you know me Dan,

D`oH

Did i get this mixed up with the Vodka thread......

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by danccooke

... I would unzip my overalls first and use it bottle second once I have run out of wee. (ok a little harsh but you know what I mean)

Now, that WOULD make good TV

[Startline Ed]

Originally Posted by CombeMarshal

I've had to put out 6 fires this year (plus training days!), and were not done this year yet!
It's been hell of a year for fires has 07!!

Perhaps its something to do with the quality of this summers weather?

[PVDA]

The last fire I had was driving home from the Sandown 500 when a '75 VW Beetle went up in the middle of the road and I was in a car with no extinguisher luckily someone pulled up with a 0.9kg dry chem but it wasn't big enough for the size of the fire and we had to wait for the BRT (Big Red Truck) to arrive and drown the fire.

Most race car fires need something bigger than the standard 1kg units you could wear on your belt and the more you wear the greater the annoyance factor for the wearer.

[Ty Nicholson]

Some years ago when assigned to Pitwall 1 @ the GP I acquired a belt worn 1 - 1.5 Kg extinguisher & holster from a mate with an F1 team. Since then never been assigned the pits again but found it handy on fire training days as PPE. Demon Tweeks used to sell the holsters but at around £40 a shot.

[Norbert]

Originally Posted by CombeMarshal

I've had to put out 6 fires this year (plus training days!), and were not done this year yet!
It's been hell of a year for fires has 07!!

I thought I was doing well with 3 fires this year!