[Steppes] Hazard of propane

[Glen Wilkerson]

Now you know why I am so attached to cyalume lightsticks...

Alaric

-----Original Message-----
From: Arabella de Montacute <arabella at elfsea.net>
To: steppes at ansteorra.org <steppes at ansteorra.org>
Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 1:10 PM
Subject: [Steppes] Hazard of propane


>
>
>At least some of the deaths were not open flames, but the
>lack of them. Propane is heavier than air and collects.
>Propane heaters without auto shutoff (most of the lower
>cost heaters) can blow out or otherwise lose their flame
>and continue to fill your tent with a heavy gas. If you are
>sleeping low enough to get into the pool of propane, you
>will suffocate.
>
>It has happened more than once!
>
>Caelin
>
>>
>> >>> - No open flames in tents!  No lanterns or heaters
>> >>> that give off fumes in tents either!!  (there have
>> >>> been injuries and FATALITIES at SCA camping events
>> >>> in the past due to these things!!)
>>
>> Well, the fatalities have been attibuted to two things: (1)
>> improperly used heater in CLOSED, NON-BREATHING (nylon) tent, or
>> (2) fire.  Just because a candle is stuck in a bucket of sand
>> does NOT make it safe.
>>
>> NO open flames, or even closed flames (never mind fumes, flames
>> eat up oxygen) should be used in a nylon tent.  If you have a
>> canvas, period tent, use them with caution, and DO NOT FORGET the
>> two key rules of using flames:
>>
>>    1)  NEVER leave a flame unattended.
>>
>>    2)  If you are asleep, the flame is unattended.
>>
>> If someone needs a night-light, get a battery-operated lamp.  You
>> can buy ones that look like candles (I stocked up just after
>> Christmas).  Do NOT cover the lamp - battery or otherwise - with
>> a cloth to "make it look better" or to "add ambiance."  Fabric burns.
>>
>> Other common-sense fire rules:  Just because you cooked dinner
>> over a charcoal grill doesn't mean you can ignore it and not take
>> the time to be sure the coals are dead.  Just because the
>> citronella candle comes in a cute metal bucket does NOT mean it
>> is a "contained flame."  Oil lamps are flames.
>>
>> Canvas burns.  Nylon burns.  If you are afraid of the cold, get a
>> hotel room, pack lots of blankets, bring a warm friend, get some
>> of those chemical heating packs that camping-goods stores sell to
>> put into boots and mittens, buy a "space blanket" to put between
>> you and the ground or you and the rest of your bedding.  STAY DRY
>> - wet will chill you very quickly.
>>
>>                        ---==organ (who has had put out camp
>>                               fires and warm the hypothermic)
>
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