Testing safty flares responsibly?

[David Mooradd]

I have had three safty flares stashed in my pfd pocket, in a ziplock bag, for three years. I have never used one before and have no idea if they are even good anymore. I would like to try one out so I know what to expect should the time come I actually need it. Does anyone have a suggestion how I might do this responsibly? I was thinking the 4th of July would be a good day, unlikely to draw much attention amongst all the fireworks. Or perhaps I could just set it off in my backyard after a heavy rain storm so as not to set my neighbors roofs on fire. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[bob budd]

From the coast guard, "Do not shoot off expired flares. The Coast Guard recommends that you dispose of them at your local fire department or contact your closest Coast Guard station and ask if they hold flare training/demonstration days for the public." (The Orion site mentions donating them to the CG for this purpose.)

With the upcoming weekend I am curious if someone put you up to posting this question.

[Brian Nystrom]

While I don't condone breaking the law, if you do decide to set off your flares, DO IT OVER WATER! Unlike most fireworks, flares can stay hot long enough that they can cause fires when their remnants hit the ground.

[scamlin]

Just a note:

I suspect the reason David is thinking of a test fire is that flares have an expiration date of three years. The expiration date is printed on each flare. Good time of year to check your flares (you carry at least the Coast Guard required minimum of three at all times don't you?). Get some new ones if yours are out of date.

I keep my old ones on board in the day hatch as backups to the ones in my PFD pocket. Even new ones have a significant failure rate. At a past July 4 celebration (names withheld to protect the guilty), almost half of flares (some expired, some not) that were tested failed to fire. Published tests have similar failure rates.

This is not reason to forget about flares but rather to carry extras.

Besides, there is no guarantee somebody will see the first flare anyway.

Scott

[bob budd]

The Coast Guard explicitly asks that you only fire a flare in a real emergency. They also ask that you call to report firing a flare so they can call off any search activity it initiates.

[JohnHuth]

I actually enquired about this. You're supposed to check with both the local police dept, and the coast guard and get their permission to shoot off a flare. I think you're also supposed to radio in the time that you shoot it off, so that they know.

Consider it a bit like a "radio check" on the VHF.

I will confess to "expending unused ordninance" on the 4th of July - at the height of a fireworks display. I also know of a story of people who shot off flares when they were in trouble on the 4th, and it was totally ignored. Advice: don't hope for a flare to attract attention on the 4th.

[Sanjay]

I second Brian's advice, to test over water. A friend (who shall remain nameless) once decided to test some old flares in his backyard. He heard a little pfft sound, but nothing seemed to have happened, so he went back to repairing his old boat. A few minutes later, he smelled smoke--he had ignited a small forest fire behind his house. He spent the rest of the evening attaching all his hoses together, using up all his fire extinguishers, and setting up sprinklers to put out and keep out the fire. Shame prevented him from calling the Fire Dept.

Sanjay

[Brian Nystrom]

IIRC, we only had two failures in the flares we tested and one of those was due to the rusted pull chain on one snapping off.