Fire safety in camp and at the cabin

What you need

• A smoke alarm on every level of the cabin and one outside the sleeping area
• An ABC fire extinguisher by the door, and another by the kitchen
• A fire blanket or a pot lid that fits, near the stove
• Two ways out of every room, both kept clear
• A headlamp and your boots by the bed
• A bucket of water or sand by every campfire
• A knife you can reach from inside the tent

How

1. Test the smoke alarms on the first day of every trip, and change the batteries once a year.
2. Walk the two ways out of the cabin with everyone, and pick a spot outside where you all meet.
3. Refuel stoves and lanterns outside, cold, and well away from any flame.
4. Keep fuel cans, propane and oily rags outside the cabin and away from the tent.
5. Cook outside the tent, never in it or in the vestibule.
6. Put candles and oil lamps on a solid base, away from curtains and bedding, and put them out before you sleep.
7. Look over the wiring every spring. Mice chew it over the winter and bare wires start fires.

When it catches

1. Shout fire and get everyone out. People first, gear never.
2. Fight it only if it is small, you have an extinguisher, and the way out is behind you.
3. Use the extinguisher like this: pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, sweep side to side.
4. A pot of grease on fire: turn off the heat and slide a lid or a fire blanket over it. Never throw water on it.
5. Clothes on fire: stop, drop to the ground, cover your face and roll until it is out.
6. A tent on fire: get out the nearest way. Cut through the wall with your knife if the door is blocked.
7. Once you are out, stay out, and call 911.

Do and don't

Watch for

Notes

Most cabins are a long way from a fire truck. Whatever happens, you will be handling the first ten minutes yourself, so the alarm, the extinguisher and the way out are the whole plan.

Smoke alarms wear out. Replace one ten years from the date on the back. See Heating with wood and Putting a fire out.