Fire Basics

1
Fire Basics

• BSA Troop 24
• Hartland, WI
• Fire is Hot! Fire is Cool!

2
Agenda

• Uses for fires
• What is fire?
• Fire safety
• Types of fires
• Ingredients
• Starting fires
• Extinguishing fires
• Resources
• Instructor Notes

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Uses for Fires in Scouting

• Cooking
• Warmth
• Relaxation
• Ceremonies
• Skill Contests
• Brush Control (rare)

4
What is Fire?

• Chemical reaction between oxygen and a
  combustible fuel in the presence of heat
• Fire needs
• Fuel
• Oxygen
• Heat
• Take away any one and the fire goes out! Name
  some fuels? Example of taking away oxygen? (stop,
  drop, roll)

5
Fire Safety

• Know the rules! (Is burning allowed? Pits?)
• Firemn Chit required!
• Clear the area 10 (including overhead!)
• Tools (shovel, rake water) handy
• Store firewood up-wind and away
• Use only appropriate fuels
• Burn only local wood (stop disease/bugs)
• Never leave fire unattended
• Put it out cold (even the starting match)

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Types of Fires Tee Pee
7
Types of Fires Log Cabin
8
Types of Fires Lean To
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Types of Fires - Cooking
10
Types of Fires - Combined
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Fire Ingredients

• Ignition source (match, lighter, flint)
• Tinder
• Kindling
• Fuel

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Starting Fires

• Use only DRY tinder, kindling, fuel
• Start small and build, each layer must produce
  enough heat to ignite the next (match ignites
  tinder, tinder ignites kindling, kindlingignites
  fuel)
• Shelter from windto get started
• Let (help) airflow to the fireto keep going

13
Extinguishing Fires

• Spread out the coals
• Douse until it is out
• Cold to the touch
• Take care of the ashes!

14
Fire Resources

• Scout handbook
• Scout field book
• Merit badge books
• Camping
• Cooking
• Fire Safety
• Emergency Preparedness
• Others
• The Internet -)

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Instructor Notes

• The material in this presentation is geared
  primarily for new scouts but can be used with
  scouts of any age and experience level.
• It is most effective when presented in a dialog
  style, with the facilitator coaching the material
  for each slide out of the scouts through
  discussion of the topic. That way, the scouts
  dont feel lectured since theyre doing most of
  the talking. Also, theyre learning from each
  other, almost a 11 StudentTeacher ratio. The
  facilitator just keeps asking questions and
  affirming participation, sometimes asking
  additional questions to keep things on track.
• A particularly effective way to end the
  presentation is to have each scout mention one
  thing they learned during the presentation.
• Ideally, the presentation should be followed up
  with an opportunity to practice as soon as
  possible, along with an opportunity to earn the
  Firemn Chit.
• Do you have suggestions on how to make this
  presentation better? Send them to the current
  committee chairman of Troop 24 from their web
  site http//www.pacunits.org/t24