By Ingrid Edisen ©2011where there’s smoke...there’s fire Barn and horse


owners don’t like to think about fires, but they do occur. “If you see smoke


and if there is the least bit of doubt, pick up the phone and call your fire department first,” counseled Captain Dan Elliott of Austin Fire Station 27. “And only after you’ve called, then go see what you can do. If it’s nothing, you can always call back and cancel the order. Tell the dispatcher any information about your property that will make it easier for the fire trucks to gain access, or anything notable about directions to get out to your property.” Of course prevention


is the best cure. Try to maintain two ways in and two ways out, said Dan. Keep areas around buildings mowed and cleared, up to 50 and in some jurisdictions, 100 feet is recommended. Keep all flammables away from any sources of open flame or electric sparks--and better yet in a totally separate building at least 50 feet from your barn and without any electric or open flames sources within that building. Buy your hay only from reputable dealers. Have an electrician inspect your electric system. If you feel any heat in a wall or near a socket or switch, have that situation remedied immediately. Store baled hay if possible in a separate well ventilated building with the stems running vertically so the moisture wicks downward and keep it on top of pallets or any dry porous bedding. Annually or even better, every six months, fully clean out the areas where hay is stored. Sweep down the cobwebs and chaffe that tends to accumulate inside barns. There is a great check list on this subject: http://www. firesafetyinbarns.com/Fire_ Prevention_Checklist.pdf. Invite a fire department officer to inspect your property. Do a fire drill every six months. One website even recommends training one’s neighbors to assist in case of an emergency. Get the horses sacked out to the conditions that fires may pose--smoke, unusual noises, strangers handling them. Are your light fixtures caged and protected from anything bumping into them? Dan noted that hay


fires are some of the worse as they can be time intensive to put out. “You have to keep turning the hay over and over and spraying it down because it smolders so much.” He also suggests you play out a fire scenario in your mind and seek out the weak points. For example, what will you do if there is no electricity on your property and it is pitch dark and you need to get the horses out?


Regarding new


construction, keep in mind that heavier lumber (or steel) will maintain its integrity (burn through slower) and resist letting the building collapse as quickly. Ventilation is important in barns and storage buildings, but so is


THE HORSE GAZETTE


compartmentalization.


Compartmentalization means that fire walls or fire “curtains” are installed so the building is cut up into segments which retard the spread of fire. Lightning strikes occur more often in the Central and Eastern part of the U.S. but they also pose a danger. Lightning rods on barns should only be installed by certified professionals.


Craig Ortego, a fire


safety sprinkler installer based in Central Texas at (830) 613- 0334, said that although he has never had the chance to install such a system in a barn, he is aware that the systems are extremely effective in quenching fires (estimates range from 95 to 98 percent). Basically there are two types of sprinkler systems: a wet pipe and a dry pipe. The former maintains water in the lines at all times. This may not be reasonable for outdoor buildings such as barns that are subject to freezing conditions. The dry pipe method keeps air in the lines and as the sprinkler heads go off, air pops them open and water follows 60 seconds later. Craig also noted that it is a good idea to “lock” the master valve in an open position or indicate with a sign that that valve is never to be turned off. The water pressure necessary to run such systems is reasonable--50-75 psi. One can visit the National Fire Protection Code online to read more about standards and codes regarding these systems. Keep in mind, though, that barns are dusty and can be subject to high humidity and variances in outdoor temperatures which makes it complicated to mount and maintain smoke, heat, and fire detectors overall. It is recommended


that there be an extinguisher every 50 feet in a barn. There are different types of extinguishers for different types of fires but many of them are multi-rated (A, B, C, D, etc.). Inspect them and be sure all personnel know where they are and make sure they are in the green and have not expired. Dan suggests you shake them monthly to avoid letting those with dry chemical powders inside pack down too tightly.


From the website


www.gaitedhorses.com are some excellent points about hay and to quote from that site:


“One means to check hay temperature is by Dave, Susan or Nita Fuqua


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using a temperature probe to monitor temperatures inside the bales. A probe can be built using a 3/8 inch diameter pipe with a pointed tip screwed to the end and holes drilled in it. A thermometer can then be inserted into the pipe and retrieved and read after 10-15 minutes. If the hay temperature reaches 130 degrees F, move the hay to allow increased air circulation and cooling. If the temperature climbs above 150 degrees to 175 degrees F, call the fire department, and be prepared to inject water to cool any hot spots before moving the hay. If at all possible, don’t open the barn door if hay is smoking; the added oxygen could cause the hay to burst into flames”


“In general, hay is


considered too wet for storage if moisture levels are higher than 20 percent in small rectangular bales, higher than 18 percent in large round bales, and higher than 16 percent in large square bales. To determine moisture levels you can use a microwave oven to determine moisture content in just a few minutes. A small kitchen, dietary or postage scale is also necessary, preferably one which weighs in grams”


Here is a site to help


you do the hay-microwave- moisture test: http://ohioline. osu.edu//agf-fact/0004.htm. A fast hay check


could even be inserting a metal rod into the center of a bale of hay and holding it there for a minute or two, then try holding it in your hand. If you are unable to hold it in your hand because it is too hot, then you probably have hay that is heating up.


Dan also explained


that rural fire departments are set up to “draft” which means they can use any body of water (swimming pool, a livestock pond) as a resource. However, the maximum elevation differential between the fire truck and water source should only be 20 feet variance. If you are going to


burn trash/yard debris, be sure to have your hoses already hooked up just in case, Dan advised.


If your place is being


laid out and not yet constructed, set the buildings up so they are not too close together and keep in mind that a large fire truck may need to have access. For example, are your roads strong enough in wet weather to hold a 40,000 lb. fire truck? Check your insurance


policy. Does it just cover the structure (replacement) or also the contents? All


of these


considerations are meant to lead you to the ultimate situation of never having a fire in the first place.


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