Does anyone else keep a fire extinguisher in their car?

[index]

I posted that I did in another thread and I was curious if anybody else did this. I purchased one after reading a tip online of how useful that would be in an emergency or if somebody is having trouble on the side of the road so I went ahead and purchased one last year. Thankfully I haven't had to use it yet. I also keep pepper spray in my glovebox for obvious reasons. The thing I got is meant to be stored in a car so I doubt the extinguisher is going to rupture or anything.

[1995hoo]

Not I, but I do keep one in the kitchen and I was glad I did two years ago this weekend when the propane supply line separated on my grill while I was cooking dinner.

[jakeroot]

I have one in the rear of my Golf. The area between the bumper and wheel well in the rear hatch area is deep enough to comfortably store a small fire extinguisher and bottle of window cleaner and tower.

Haven't had to use it yet, but I am prepared to use it for something like a small brush fire that maybe just started or perhaps something more serious.

[oscar]

I have one in the trunk of my Subaru, but not the Prius I now use only for local travel.

[jeffandnicole]

This is going to sound mean, but unless it involves your own vehicle, or you're trying to save a life, don't get involved. If you decide you're going to try to be the hero and put out a fire on someone else's car, most likely you're little fire extinguisher wont extinguish the fire, you're not going to be reimbursed for a new extinguisher, and you can find yourself involved afterwards when insurance companies, insurance agents, frontline police and fire officials, and even the owner of the other vehicle want to know what experience you had and why you were there doing what you were doing, wondering if your actions made things worse. 90% of the time, stuff like that won't happen. 10% of the time, you wished you weren't there when you're named on a lawsuit. 100% of the time, if you continue driving, or simply stopped to make sure no one was injured or still in the other vehicle, you won't be liable for any issues that crop up later.

[jakeroot]

This is going to sound mean, but unless it involves your own vehicle, or you're trying to save a life, don't get involved. If you decide you're going to try to be the hero and put out a fire on someone else's car, most likely you're little fire extinguisher wont extinguish the fire, you're not going to be reimbursed for a new extinguisher, and you can find yourself involved afterwards when insurance companies, insurance agents, frontline police and fire officials, and even the owner of the other vehicle want to know what experience you had and why you were there doing what you were doing, wondering if your actions made things worse. 90% of the time, stuff like that won't happen. 10% of the time, you wished you weren't there when you're named on a lawsuit. 100% of the time, if you continue driving, or simply stopped to make sure no one was injured or still in the other vehicle, you won't be liable for any issues that crop up later.

I would think there are still plenty of good uses, like small brush fires, an engine fire, or even someone engulfed in flames. You don't necessarily need a tanker truck to extinguish these things.

The whole "don't get involved because you risk getting sued" attitude is exactly the reason people so rarely step in and help anyone these days. They're afraid of the repercussions. I can't blame them, but I do firmly believe that, overall, being afraid of litigation has not been a good thing for society.

[index]

This is going to sound mean, but unless it involves your own vehicle, or you're trying to save a life, don't get involved. If you decide you're going to try to be the hero and put out a fire on someone else's car, most likely you're little fire extinguisher wont extinguish the fire, you're not going to be reimbursed for a new extinguisher, and you can find yourself involved afterwards when insurance companies, insurance agents, frontline police and fire officials, and even the owner of the other vehicle want to know what experience you had and why you were there doing what you were doing, wondering if your actions made things worse. 90% of the time, stuff like that won't happen. 10% of the time, you wished you weren't there when you're named on a lawsuit. 100% of the time, if you continue driving, or simply stopped to make sure no one was injured or still in the other vehicle, you won't be liable for any issues that crop up later.

I would think there are still plenty of good uses, like small brush fires, an engine fire, or even someone engulfed in flames. You don't necessarily need a tanker truck to extinguish these things.

The whole "don't get involved because you risk getting sued" attitude is exactly the reason people so rarely step in and help anyone these days. They're afraid of the repercussions. I can't blame them, but I do firmly believe that, overall, being afraid of litigation has not been a good thing for society.

That, and some states have good Samaritan laws shielding people from being sued for stepping into help, as long as they weren't doing it for personal gain/completely reckless. Granted, not every single one of those laws cover things like using a fire extinguisher (North Carolina's only covers drug overdoses, shielding the caller from being hit with possession) but they should.

[Scott5114]

This is going to sound mean, but unless it involves your own vehicle, or you're trying to save a life, don't get involved. If you decide you're going to try to be the hero and put out a fire on someone else's car, most likely you're little fire extinguisher wont extinguish the fire, you're not going to be reimbursed for a new extinguisher, and you can find yourself involved afterwards when insurance companies, insurance agents, frontline police and fire officials, and even the owner of the other vehicle want to know what experience you had and why you were there doing what you were doing, wondering if your actions made things worse. 90% of the time, stuff like that won't happen. 10% of the time, you wished you weren't there when you're named on a lawsuit. 100% of the time, if you continue driving, or simply stopped to make sure no one was injured or still in the other vehicle, you won't be liable for any issues that crop up later.

I would think there are still plenty of good uses, like small brush fires, an engine fire, or even someone engulfed in flames. You don't necessarily need a tanker truck to extinguish these things.

The whole "don't get involved because you risk getting sued" attitude is exactly the reason people so rarely step in and help anyone these days. They're afraid of the repercussions. I can't blame them, but I do firmly believe that, overall, being afraid of litigation has not been a good thing for society.

That, and some states have good Samaritan laws shielding people from being sued for stepping into help, as long as they weren't doing it for personal gain/completely reckless. Granted, not every single one of those laws cover things like using a fire extinguisher (North Carolina's only covers drug overdoses, shielding the caller from being hit with possession) but they should.

The problem is that even if there is a Good Samaritan law, the process through which determining whether or not that law applies may be a time suck and require you hiring a lawyer to argue on your behalf that any proceeding against you be dismissed because of the Good Samaritan law. Even if you're found not at fault you will still have to pay to defend yourself.

[Takumi]

Those who do track days often keep fire extinguishers in their track cars. It's highly recommended if not required.

[jakeroot]

The problem is that even if there is a Good Samaritan law, the process through which determining whether or not that law applies may be a time suck and require you hiring a lawyer to argue on your behalf that any proceeding against you be dismissed because of the Good Samaritan law. Even if you're found not at fault you will still have to pay to defend yourself.

So that puts us back to square one: if you're driving down the road and spot someone fully engulfed in flames, do you attempt to extinguish the fire? Or keep driving and accept that they'll likely die from their injuries? Still seems better to at least try and do the right thing. Even if you get caught up the legal system, the general public will recognize your good deed and should step in to help.

[Max Rockatansky]

I have one in the trunk of my Impreza.  I have it because I've been in a couple cars that had fires (one under hood and another with a melted rotor).  Nowadays given I camp quite a bit so it is nice to have on hand if something was to go wrong with a camp fire and I caught it early. 

[jeffandnicole]

The problem is that even if there is a Good Samaritan law, the process through which determining whether or not that law applies may be a time suck and require you hiring a lawyer to argue on your behalf that any proceeding against you be dismissed because of the Good Samaritan law. Even if you're found not at fault you will still have to pay to defend yourself.

So that puts us back to square one: if you're driving down the road and spot someone fully engulfed in flames, do you attempt to extinguish the fire? Or keep driving and accept that they'll likely die from their injuries? Still seems better to at least try and do the right thing. Even if you get caught up the legal system, the general public will recognize your good deed and should step in to help.

Square one already said unless you're trying to save a life.

[bwana39]

This is going to sound mean, but unless it involves your own vehicle, or you're trying to save a life, don't get involved. If you decide you're going to try to be the hero and put out a fire on someone else's car, most likely you're little fire extinguisher wont extinguish the fire, you're not going to be reimbursed for a new extinguisher, and you can find yourself involved afterwards when insurance companies, insurance agents, frontline police and fire officials, and even the owner of the other vehicle want to know what experience you had and why you were there doing what you were doing, wondering if your actions made things worse. 90% of the time, stuff like that won't happen. 10% of the time, you wished you weren't there when you're named on a lawsuit. 100% of the time, if you continue driving, or simply stopped to make sure no one was injured or still in the other vehicle, you won't be liable for any issues that crop up later.

I feel quite the opposite. I will help someone and any liability I incur is just a part of life. Living with a judgement is better for me than living with the feeling that I could have been of help and I failed to do so.

As a side note. In 95% of the cases, if it were my car, I think I would prefer that it burn. The first priority is going to be to evacuate it any way.

[Max Rockatansky]

This is going to sound mean, but unless it involves your own vehicle, or you're trying to save a life, don't get involved. If you decide you're going to try to be the hero and put out a fire on someone else's car, most likely you're little fire extinguisher wont extinguish the fire, you're not going to be reimbursed for a new extinguisher, and you can find yourself involved afterwards when insurance companies, insurance agents, frontline police and fire officials, and even the owner of the other vehicle want to know what experience you had and why you were there doing what you were doing, wondering if your actions made things worse. 90% of the time, stuff like that won't happen. 10% of the time, you wished you weren't there when you're named on a lawsuit. 100% of the time, if you continue driving, or simply stopped to make sure no one was injured or still in the other vehicle, you won't be liable for any issues that crop up later.

I feel quite the opposite. I will help someone and any liability I incur is just a part of life. Living with a judgement is better for me than living with the feeling that I could have been of help and I failed to do so.

As a side note. In 95% of the cases, if it were my car, I think I would prefer that it burn. The first priority is going to be to evacuate it any way.

Speaking from experience unless the fire is in it's beginning stage a fire extinguisher isn't going to do anything.  If anything an extinguisher might just push down a large vehicle fire for a second and it will blow back in your face once it gets oxygen again.  Definitely a good way to singe your eyebrows in the best case scenario. 

[vdeane]

And also, hopefully your fire extinguisher won't itself catch on fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EBfxjSFAxQ

[jakeroot]

The problem is that even if there is a Good Samaritan law, the process through which determining whether or not that law applies may be a time suck and require you hiring a lawyer to argue on your behalf that any proceeding against you be dismissed because of the Good Samaritan law. Even if you're found not at fault you will still have to pay to defend yourself.

So that puts us back to square one: if you're driving down the road and spot someone fully engulfed in flames, do you attempt to extinguish the fire? Or keep driving and accept that they'll likely die from their injuries? Still seems better to at least try and do the right thing. Even if you get caught up the legal system, the general public will recognize your good deed and should step in to help.

Square one already said unless you're trying to save a life.

But that seems to be the primary route to getting involved in litigation: trying to, and perhaps mucking up, saving someone's life. I don't think you're going to be sued by the state for attempting to extinguish a small brush fire, or a motorist for attempting to extinguish an engine fire.

[kphoger]

I don't keep one in my car, never have.

However, I did once have a car whose catalytic converter was blocked enough that it got so hot you could smell it.  Overheated catalytic converters have been known to start grass fires.  I'd never considered taking one on camping trips, but I agree that it could come in handy–even if I hardly ever build a campfire myself:  it stinks to find smoldering trash in the fire ring, and I often don't want to waste any water in dousing it.

For the record, some countries require having a fire extinguisher in the vehicle.  I think even some Central American countries (that is, places you can actually drive from here) have such a requirement.

[andrewkbrown]

I've carried one in the trunk of my car for the past 5-6 years. Then one day, probably around 2018-19, I actually used it on another car.
Rounding a curve on US 50 east, just outside Salem, WV, I came upon a car off the lanes and into the tree line. My thought was it was an old leftover crash, until I realized the tire marks were fresh and the car was still smoldering. Only turn around was about a half-mile, and when I passed it on the westbound lanes, the driver standing beside the guardrail, and visible fire was under the engine compartment. It took about another mile in the opposite direction to find another turn around to return eastbound, return to the site of the crash, and use the extinguisher to put out the small fire.

[kphoger]

I've carried one in the trunk of my car for the past 5-6 years. Then one day, probably around 2018-19, I actually used it on another car.
Rounding a curve on US 50 east, just outside Salem, WV, I came upon a car off the lanes and into the tree line. My thought was it was an old leftover crash, until I realized the tire marks were fresh and the car was still smoldering. Only turn around was about a half-mile, and when I passed it on the westbound lanes, the driver standing beside the guardrail, and visible fire was under the engine compartment. It took about another mile in the opposite direction to find another turn around to return eastbound, return to the site of the crash, and use the extinguisher to put out the small fire.

No, I'm pretty sure you made the fire worse, suffered major burns, and got sued for damage to the vehicle.

[keithvh]

To answer the question --- yes.  I keep one in both my car and in my home.  I have never had to use one though.

[Brian556]

And also, hopefully your fire extinguisher won't itself catch on fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EBfxjSFAxQ

I swear I remember a fire extinguisher acting as a flame thrower on iCarly.

Also, on this subject, my neighbor told be he had a fire start in his trunk at at gas station. Rather than buy an emergency jump start device, he had chosen to build one himself, and ,well, he pulled a Tim Taylor, or Spenser Shay, because it caught fire, randomly, when it was not in use.