The Commercial Drivers License
FIRES
Truck fires can cause damage and injury. Learn the
causes of fires and how to prevent them. Know what to do to extinguish
fires.
Causes of Fire
The following are some causes of vehicle fires:
• After accidents. Spilled fuel, improper use of flares.
• Tires. Underinflated tires and duals that
touch.
• Electrical system. Short circuits due to damaged insulation,
loose connections.
• Fuel. Driver smoking, improper fueling, loose fuel connections.
• Cargo. Flammable cargo, improperly sealed or loaded, poor ventilation.
Fire Prevention
Pay attention to the following:
• Pretrip inspection. Make a complete inspection of the electrical,
fuel, and exhaust systems, tires, and cargo.
• Enroute inspection. Check the tires, wheels, and truck body
for signs of heat whenever you stop during a trip.
• Follow safe procedures. Follow correct safety procedures for
fueling the vehicle, using brakes, handling flares, and other activities
that can cause a fire.
• Monitoring. Check the instruments and gauges often for signs
of overheating, and use the mirrors to look for signs of smoke from
tires, or the vehicle.
• Caution. Use normal caution in handling anything flammable.
Fire Fighting
Knowing how to fight fires is important. Fires have been made worse
by drivers who didn’t know what to do. Here are some procedures
to follow in case of fire:
• Pull off the road. The first step is to get the vehicle off
the road and stop. In doing so: - Park in an open area, away from
buildings, trees, brush, other vehicles or anything that might catch
fire. - Don’t pull into a service station! - Use your CB if you
have one to notify the police of your problem and your location.
• Keep the fire from spreading. Before trying to put out the fire,
make sure that it doesn’t spread any further. - With an engine fire,
turn off the engine as soon as you can. Don’t open the hood if you
can avoid it. Shoot extinguishers through louvers, radiator, or
from the underside of the vehicle. - For a cargo fire in a van or
box trailer, keep the doors shut, especially if your cargo contains
hazardous materials.
Opening the van doors will supply the fire with oxygen and can
cause it to burn very fast.
• Use the right fire extinguisher. - The B:C
type fire extinguisher is designed to work on electrical fires and
burning liquids. The A:B:C type is designed to work on burning
wood, paper, and cloth as well. - Water can be used on wood, paper
or cloth, but don’t use water on an electrical fire (you could get
shocked) or a gasoline fire (it will just spread the flames). -
A burning tire must be cooled. Lots of water may be required. -
If you're not sure what to use, especially on a hazardous materials
fire, wait for qualified fire fighters.
• Extinguish the fire. Here are some rules to follow in putting
out a fire: - Know how the fire extinguisher works. Study the instructions
printed on the extinguisher before you need it. - When using the
extinguisher, stay as far away from the fire
as possible. - Aim at the source or base of the fire, not
up in the flames. - Position yourself upwind. Let the wind carry
the extinguisher to the fire rather than carrying the flames to
you. - Continue until whatever was burning has been cooled. Absence
of smoke or flame does not mean the fire is completely out or cannot
restart. - Only try to extinguish a fire if you know what you are
doing and it is safe to do so.
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