Except for the chemical fire extinguishers found in each towplane, York has standardized on Carbon Dioxide gas fire extinguisher. These are located in the clubhouse kitchen, club house west entrance, the flight office, at the entrance to the hangars, the workshop, bunkhouse, the fuel pump, and on the golf carts.

We have all of the normal fire hazards, and additionally those associated with the towplanes. In general though fire extinguishers are good on non-explosive materials such as paper and wood for about 10 seconds over a 10 square foot section. If you are putting out a fuel fire, expect about a third of the area for the coverage. What this means is that in case of fire, the more fire extinguishers that arrive, the better.

The general procedure is to call 911 for the fire department or direct someone else to. Next, grab the closest fire extinguisher, make your way to the fire, pull the safety pin, and use sweeping motions of the nozzle at the base of the flames. In the case of tow planes, it is important to only approach them from behind the wing or struts if the engine is running. . A white smoke indicates an electrical fire, black an oil fire, and lighter smoke fuel. The tow pilot should exit as soon as is possible, and getting out of the aircraft has priority over fighting the fire. The hand signal to the pilot is continuous motions of the Greek letter ‘Omega’ (infinity), which is a horizontal figure eight. For the Scout if the engine is still running, or it is an electrical fire, approach the aircraft from behind the strut, on the door side. You can best help the tow pilot get out from this position, and fight the fire by directing nozzle too the panel, our into the rear of the cowl for engine fires. For engine fires, if the engine is stopped, the extinguisher nozzle should be directed towards the intakes on the cowl behind the prop. There is no safe way to fight an engine fire on the Pawnee, if it is still running. Only use the chemical extinguishers in the towplanes if they are safely accessible, and as a last resort, as they can do considerable damage to the engine. Remember that personal safety is more important than the equipment. Getting the tow pilot out, and avoiding being burned takes precedence over fighting the fire.

Club members can help keep an eye out with the fire extinguishers by routinely checking if the safety seal has been broken or the units have been discharged (check the weight of a charged unit), and reporting any discrepancies to the office.