Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 2 of 3 < 1 2 3 >
Topic Options
#138266 - 06/30/08 08:50 PM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: Dan_McI]
Hacksaw
Unregistered


A friend of mine is retired from working in forestry for over 30 years (and the air force before that). He's always told me that a fire is always worth the risk of a forest fire because forest fires could be put out (he'd have been unemployed without them he says) but you can't be brought back to life. He also told me that you still need a bit of common sense with your how and where you build your fire. More importantly to him since it's not always possible to set a signal fire in a perfect risk free area is once you get rescued (no matter by who), call the forestry department when you get back to civilization and tell them about the fire and where you were. They'll send somebody out to check it out and put out anything still burning before it gets out of control.

Now Alberta and Arizona are very different and I don't know how much that has to do with it and the article doesn't say what type of signal fire they made (unless I missed it). They could have set a tree on fire intentionally as a signal instead of doing it properly.

Addendum: Personally I've never heard of a search operation waiting like that (though that's just my experience. I'm sure it's happened before and will happen again). I could never live with myself if I were the search manager who made the call to wait if there were a chance this fire wouldn't have been so unstoppable had they acted immediately...or worse, if somebody died because they hesitated.

Top
#138283 - 06/30/08 10:39 PM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: Doug_Ritter]
Doug_Ritter Offline

Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/28/01
Posts: 2197
_________________________
Doug Ritter
Editor
Equipped To SurviveŽ
Chairman & Executive Director
Equipped To Survive Foundation
www.KnifeRights.org
www.DougRitter.com

Top
#138284 - 06/30/08 10:46 PM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: Doug_Ritter]
duckear Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 478



If you were truly in a life or death situation, just how many acres should you be able to burn?

Just wondering.




Top
#138292 - 07/01/08 12:27 AM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: JohnE]
OldBaldGuy Offline
Geezer

Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 5695
Loc: Former AFB in CA, recouping fr...
"...controlled..."

That would apparently be the key word here...
_________________________
OBG

Top
#138300 - 07/01/08 02:24 AM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: OldBaldGuy]
Hacksaw
Unregistered


comments at azcentral.com are harsh!

Top
#138305 - 07/01/08 04:35 AM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: ]
Nicodemus Offline
Paranoid?
Veteran

Registered: 10/30/05
Posts: 1341
Loc: Virginia, US
Yeah, the comments are pretty harsh.
_________________________
"Learn survival skills when your life doesn't depend on it."

Top
#138630 - 07/04/08 05:41 AM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: ]
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
"He also told me that you still need a bit of common sense with your how and where you build your fire."

Common sense? You want common sense? Isn't that illegal? Isn't there a stiff fine for using good judgment? There must be, as so many people seem to avoid doing it.

And members here want people to take responsibility for the stupid, damaging things they do? THIS IS AMERICA! WE DON'T DO 'RESPONSIBILITY'!

Sue

Top
#138637 - 07/04/08 10:35 AM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: duckear]
Leigh_Ratcliffe Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/31/06
Posts: 1355
Loc: United Kingdom.
Originally Posted By: duckear



If you were truly in a life or death situation, just how many acres should you be able to burn?

Just wondering.





Yep, If its a choice between my ass and your forest guess which one I'm going to pick?

Having said that one wonders if a signal mirror might not have been a better choice? Which they were probably not carrying or might not been able to use. If its high canopy forrest then a signal fire might be your only choice.

Please do remember that tiredness, dehyration, injury etc significantly reduce your ability to make considered decisions. Particulary when those decisions have to be made fast.
_________________________
I don't do dumb & helpless.

Top
#138647 - 07/04/08 12:43 PM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: Susan]
Hacksaw
Unregistered


Originally Posted By: Susan
"He also told me that you still need a bit of common sense with your how and where you build your fire."

Common sense? You want common sense? Isn't that illegal? Isn't there a stiff fine for using good judgment? There must be, as so many people seem to avoid doing it.

And members here want people to take responsibility for the stupid, damaging things they do? THIS IS AMERICA! WE DON'T DO 'RESPONSIBILITY'!

Sue


Now tell us how you really feel smile

Speaking of responsibility I haven't heard anything more about who's wise idea it was to wait until morning before beginning the search.

Top
#138686 - 07/04/08 08:13 PM Re: Once Again, a Signal Fire Out of Control [Re: Doug_Ritter]
Burncycle Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/16/04
Posts: 577
So the signal fire worked?

Top
Page 2 of 3 < 1 2 3 >



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 269 Guests and 21 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.