[Fot] the danger of fire and cool shirt systems

[Kas Kastner]

Interesting.  In the GTP cars we found that , or rather Geoff Brabham found that, having a skull cap was just as good as a vest. We used to change the ice in the cool suit box on the the pit stops when using the vest. But, it it fails, you are hopeless. In the short races of the Vintage crowd, a skull cap should be perfect.
---- Norlin Engineering <norlinengineering at comcast.net> wrote: 

=============
Interesting feedback from all.

25 years ago, I used to soak the top of my nomex underwear in water on
really hot days.  I was always a bit concerned about it flashing to steam in
a fire, but it was mostly to keep me cool on pregrid.  By the second or
third lap, it was all evaporated.  Now days, I use a triple layer suit.
Never had a problem at speed, but then I have always raced open cars.

I have a Pyrotech helmet with an air feed as used on a lot of off road cars.
I bought it with the thought of blowing air into the helmet on rainy days to
keep the visor clear (we race mainly in Portland so...)  anyway, I've never
needed to use it, but the concept exists and is really not that expensive.

With regards to arm restraints, I just make sure that the loop on the
restraint is over the metal buckle and not up on the shoulder belt itself.
It falls off no problem.

Jim Norlin

-----Original Message-----
From: fot-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Scott Janzen
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 2:29 PM
To: 'Friends of Triumph' Triumph
Subject: [Fot] the danger of fire and cool shirt systems


I've been thinking about getting a Cool Shirt (water cooled shirt
system) to keep from getting over-heated in my GT6 coupe, which I tend
to do any time the temperature is over 65.  I read this article on the
Miata fire, and am pondering whether, in the disastrous event of a
fire, having water which can vaporize into steam, and/or plastic lines
on the shirt which can melt,  near my skin is more hazardous than it's
worth.  Has this ever been addressed - does SCCA allow these systems,
and if so, how is it reconciled with the requirement to wear fire-
retardant materials?

On a related thought, I also use arm restraints.  One end of these
slips over the lap belt component of the harness.  If I had to make a
quick exit, these things basically don't just slip off, either from my
wrists or from the belts.  Is there a better way to anchor these?  I
don't like the idea of a window net in lieu of arm restraints because
it blocks visibility to the side mirror.

On Jun 12, 2010, at 4:14 AM, Chuck Arnold and/or Kathleen Kelley wrote:

For any of you who have not seen the article about the guy in the
Miata and
the fire escape he made at the 25 hours race at Thunderhill -- you owe
it to
yourself to follow the link below and read the article and then prepare
yourself -- I sure got a good lesson Chuck

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/fighting-fire/


Chuck Arnold and Kathleen Kelley
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