I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

[Tyme2fish]

Went to town today to get some things and encountered a situation in which I was helpless and frustrated in that I couldn't be of assistance.

A man had his car off the side of the road with his hood up and the engine compartment on fire. A few other vehicles had pulled over,but everyone was just standing around doing nothing. When I passed him, I was saddened in that I didn't have a fire extinguisher in my truck. The fire was small, but fed by something, and was growing larger.

I knew I couldn't help him.

I didn't have a blanket or floor mat or anything that could assist him and lessen his damages.

So while I was shopping. I purchased two ABC fire extinguishers, one for each of my trucks, in case I ever encounter this situation again.

Who knows. The vehicle I save next time may be my own.

 

[aaronmmartinez]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

its good to know that during these times atleast you wished you could have helped the guy and prepared yourself to help the next person. most people just drive by and forget about it in the next mile. i keep fire ext. in all my vehicles

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

If the side of the road was gravel you could have always thrown dirt on the fire to smother it.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

If the side of the road was gravel you could have always thrown dirt on the fire to smother it.

Although small, the fire was too invloved at that time for that to possibly work. Not much gravel or dirt on the roadside,I looked.

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

A while back I was leaving the house and came around the corner to find a car fire. Backed up to the house and jumped in the boat to grab the boat fire extinguisher.

Got the fire out and was really glad I knew where that fire extinguisher was and so was the owner of the car.

 

[sschefer]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

I carry an extinguisher, chain saw, come along, jerk strap, first aid kit, burlap sacks, etc., in my truck box all the time. I also have enough fishing gear for when that opportunity presents itself too.

If conditions permit, I always stop because you can't imagine how wonderfully creative you can get in an emergency. I might have used his floor mats instead of mine though. If nothing else you might have coaxed the owner away from his vehicle out of harms way and called for emergency services.

 

[Rellik546]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

you guys should read the thread somewhere on this site about the guy who put out his neighbors house fire with his snowblower! it was on here like a month ago. he broke the picture window and then started blowing snow in through the window from the yard.

1+ on the fishing gear never know when the moment will present itself

 

[royal0014]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

Kudos to you T2F. Most people wouldn't give a second thought to how they could have helped, nevermind feel bad about not being able to. Even fewer would go spend money for 'next time'.

Two thumbs up


<<)))(((>>

 

[JB]

Re: I couldn't help and felt terrible about it.

Here in the dry season we have a major wildfire threat. Most of the wildfires start in someone's back yard when they violate outdoor burning bans, but second place is fires started by roadside discarded smokes.

I do keep an extinguisher in my vehicle. Used it once in about 50 years. About a year ago I was coming home from a shopping trip and spied two cars pulled over and a lot of smoke. I pulled up and found three people desperately trying to beat out a fire with floor mats. Five minutes emptied my fire extinguisher at just the moment we killed the last spark. There was a strong wind from the south and there were several thousand acres of dry grass and brush to the north.

I now carry two.