One of the coolest parts of my job is that people often send me amazing trucking videos. What can I say – I’m like a little kid when it comes to seeing big machines do incredible things! And since it’s National Fire Prevention week, this clip couldn’t come at a better time:
I was fascinated by this footage of a water bomber putting out a Canadian truck fire. Now, typically, a firetruck is sent in when a truck is at risk for catching fire. But in a remote area like Newfoundland, Canada, where it would have taken a fire truck nearly 45 minutes to arrive, local authorities decided to airdrop the water before the fire got out of hand and spread to the forest.
Thankfully, the plan worked and everyone made it out safely.
Here at Matchmaker Logistics, we do a lot metaphorical ‘fire fighting’ to get shipments safely to their locations on time. As for literally? Well – we’re lucky in that we don’t have to do too much of that! But it is vitally important for our carriers to be prepared. Some of you might be wondering – is it really that common for trucks to catch fire? Why all the worry?
Between the size of the rigs, the long hauls, and occasionally hazardous cargo, truck fires are a real risk. Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations require all commercial motor vehicles to have a fire extinguisher on board, of the proper size and type for the necessary cargo. That means that a CMV with hazardous materials is required to have a different size extinguisher than those not carrying hazardous materials. And, it’s not enough to just have the extinguisher on board – it must be labeled and properly secured!
Some fast fire safety facts for commercial (and even non-commercial) drivers:
– Always prioritize safety. If there’s a fire in your rig, steer to the side of the road and get clear. If it is possible to safely remove the trailer from the tractor, do so, but only if it is safe!
– Fire extinguishers are designed to extinguish a small fire before they become dangerous. If a fire has spread to dangerous levels, call 911 right away! Stand clear of the burn and wait for firefighters to arrive.
– If a tire is on fire, an extinguisher may not be able to fully put the fire out. Once the flames are low, pour water over the tire to finish the job.
– Lastly, never ever smoke near hazardous materials, or while transporting flammable cargo.
Truck fires are no joke, so I’ll spare you any of my puns, this weekend. But if you have any other amazing videos, I sure would love to see them!
Change the batteries in your fire detectors this weekend,
~Bob
