PSA From A Beginner Idiot

[Moebius01]

In an effort to condense the backstory as much as possible. Complete beginner. Building out a little rig with a modular/removable drawer system, and doing a quick shakedown camp at a State Park campground so we'd have electric and water if we discovered we weren't quite ready yet. Due to size constraints, the drawer that holds the cookstove doesn't have a good place for the little solid metal tube/regulator for the 1lb propane canister, so I had ordered a hose version from Stansport. As it happens, the thread size on Stansport is apparently different from Coleman, so while it "felt" like it fit right, the seal wasn't quite there. So about 15 minutes into cooking my first meal in the drawer system, I started getting flames coming out of the part where the regulator hose screws into the cookstove. To my own credit, I didn't panic and after realizing I'm not going to blow out a fuel fed flame while the fuel is still flowing, I unscrewed the 1lb propane tank from the regulator and the flames went out. BUT... that was uncontrolled flames coming out of the side of a cookstove sitting in a wooden drawer cube hanging out of a cargo area that is covered in carpet material. So who wants to guess the one piece of equipment on my overland build that I hadn't yet acquired because I was going to a populated campground and really didn't need to worry about it yet???

So here's the PSA from the idiot: Fire Extinguishers are not an optional item, and not something to save for later.

 

[M Rose]

If you read any of my posts to beginners, you will see I always recommend a fire extinguisher as one of the top five pieces of kit to purchase. Here in the Northwest (and I believe the rest of the US) the NFS requires fire extinguishers as a ticketable item when traveling through their areas as well as well as an axe, shovel, and a gallon of water or a bucket to put dirt or water into.

 

[North American Sojourner]

Holy gas fire. I'm glad to here you're alright. If I were close by, we'd be having coffee, and finding out what you need to be a expert camper, and how to get there. That's why we're here. You can DM me any time if you got a question. Be safe out there, we've all been there.
Zim

 

[ZRex]

This is a fantastic reminder for those of us who have it on the "list," but haven't crossed it off yet. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ragman]

Thanks for sharing your story as not always easy to talk about your misfortunes-a great reminder for all of us!

 

[Sparksalot]

Carry a fire extinguisher and be able to access it quickly.