Fire Safety Guidelines
General
- You are responsible for your own safety no matter what you are
doing. This includes finding and always having a safety watching you while
working with fire.
- Only safety someone or something if you feel comfortable with the
equipment, the person, your safety skills, and the situation.
- If someone says no to safetying you, thank them for being honest
and looking out for your safety.
- The safeties have the final call in all things on the field.
Even if you do not agree, please do as they ask and talk to them afterwards
so all may learn from the experience.
- Before you do anything on fire, you must attend a WF safety
briefing. There will be a safety briefing every hour, on the hour Friday and
Saturday night. (Sunday is by request only.)
- Spin off equipment that might damage the field before lighting
up. NO GROUND CIRCLES/LINES/DOTS or fire directly on the field. We have
promised to keep the site in the same condition as before we arrived. (Please,
leave no trace.)
- If you are asked to wait on fueling at the fuel dump, please wait.
- People with LED ice cube necklaces are WF vets that are there to
help teach safety and manage the field. If you have a question, ask them; if
they ask you to do something, please listen, whether you are spinning or
safetying.
- If you do anything with fire, please be prepared to safety for at
least 30 minutes.
- Minors must be cleared with the field safety coordinator (ex.
Nick), and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian that approves of, and takes
responsibility for the minor's actions at all times. More info regarding minors
is available in the guidelines page of the WF website.
Beginners
Use the appropriate system below, and also know that you (or
anyone) may always check in with the safety coordinator or an ice cube vet if
you would like help or have questions. We LOVE new folks. If you'd like a very
experienced safety for your first spin, feel free to ask an ice cube vet or
safety coordinator to safety for you.
The first hour or so on Friday and Saturday nights will be geared
towards new spinners. If you have never burned before, or have only lit up a few
times, we encourage you to light up during these times, when we can give more
personal attention, and you will have more free space on the field.
Standard Equipment (standard poi, staff, swords, hoop,
torches, fans and other standard-size flames. Please err on
the side of caution. If you are unsure, check with safety coordinator.
- Look at the field. Is there plenty of room to spin?
- Find a safety. Either ask someone standing around the field to
safety you (a great way to make new friends) or ask a someone already safetying
if they would be willing to watch you as well. If you're asking an existing
safety, be sure they aren't already watching too many people (two or three) and
do it without being a distraction. In either case, make sure you identify what
you'll be spinning, and how much experience you have.
- Go check and fuel your equipment. You do not have to check in
with a manager after fueling. You do have to check in with your safety
before lighting up... you must get a head nod.
- Walk to where you'll be spinning. Do not walk between safeties
and those they are watching. Do not walk close to lit spinners. Consider walking
around the perimeter of the field to your spot.
- Get a head nod from your safety, light, and have fun! When done,
thank your safety, and consider being a safety. Leave the field without getting
in the way of other safeties or spinners, keeping in mind that you're still
surrounded by lit equipment.
Large Groups
Follow the guidelines for whatever equipment you'll be using.
Be sure to have enough safeties for the size of the group.
Position your safety or safeties where you'd like to be spinning.
They shouldn't be interrupting people who are already spinning, but can ask
safeties who are positioning themselves in the area for an incoming spinner if
they could relocate.
Have a member of the group at the fuel dump before any member
begins fueling, have them ask people who are fueling if they could keep the
groups area clear.
Fuel up, and wait the few minutes it may take for the area to
clear.
Keeping in mind all other safety procedures, go have fun!
Non-standard Equipment, unusual tricks, fire breathing
Find a safety who is willing to safety you and has the knowledge
and experience to do so. If you fit into this category please find a safety who
can focus only on you.
Bring your safety and your equipment to the safety coordinator
for brief introduction and equipment review. Let the coordinator know where you
will be spinning.
Non-standard equipment, unusual tricks, - Fuel, go to the spot
you are designated as yours, get safety nod, light up, and have fun!
Breathers – go to the spot you are designated, get safety nod,
practice breathing.
Thank your safety and field safety coordinator afterwards.
Fire Eating/Fleshing
Find or designate your safety. The safety must be
standing, outside of the circle while safetying.
Discuss with this person the circle etiquette that you will be
using so that they can tell others as they come up. This includes:
- If the circle is open to anyone joining. (Some are not, which is
how some folks like to practice. Please respect closed circles).
- If you have specific people you have invited to practice with you
who are not there yet.
- The maximum number of people you want in the circle.
- If people joining the circle must have their own equipment.
Go to the Eating/Fleshing area (see map), get a lighting
can and an extinguisher, form the circle in clear area, and have fun!
When done, thank your safety.
*** If you would like to join an existing circle, ask the
standing safety first what the etiquette for that circle is and follow it.
Safety Responsibilities
Don't be afraid to decline safetying if you are uncomfortable or
inexperienced with the tool or style of the spinner.
Don't be afraid to speak up if you see unsafe practices anywhere
on the field.
Acknowledge your Spinner - let both of you know that you are
watching
Keep your towel in your hands and ready to use throughout the
entire spin. Stay standing or crouched, ready to jump. A single second can make
a lot of difference to someone on fire.
Watch your Spinner's Body - warn them of unintentional fire
Watch your Spinner's Space - warn them of encroaching on others,
and others encroaching on them
Watch your Spinner Early - most danger happens early in a spin
(watch for transfers and handles catching)
Watch your Spinner Late - accidents happen as flames die down and
people get tired (watch especially for chain tangles)
If you do see a fresh, possible unintentional fire call out the
body part that it is on("Back"). Be loud.
If you see out of control fire on a spinner, call "Stop!" or
"Down!" depending on the situation and put it out immediately. Be loud
Extinguish your spinner's tools if they are ready to have them
put out, but don't be afraid to say no if you are watching a new spinner or
can't extinguish them at that moment.
Fuel Dump Etiquette
All fuel that is actively being used for dipping should be
behind the white barriers.
No open flame or smoking near the fuel dump
Ask a safety coordinator before adding a bucket of a new fuel
type (like a mixture). Different fuel types should be marked using a glowstick
in the lamp oil bucket
Fuel should be kept in gallon paint cans, and the gallon paint
cans should be kept in 5 gallon buckets, unless they need to be removed to fuel
a hoop or other tool, they should be put back into the 5 gallon bucket
imeadiately aterwards.
Covers should be kept next to the buckets.
Other fuel containers (PVC tubes for swords, troughs for
continuous fans) can stay, but can not be left where they will be in the way.
If you need to add more fuel to a container, do it. Full cans of
fuel should not be close to the fuel dump.
Half empty fuel cans should be kept outside of the fueling area,
leave them there until they're empty.
Empty cans should have cap removed, stomped on, and put in a
covered trash can away from the fuel dump
Use spin off buckets if possible. Spin off in the parking lot
either with a bucket if possible, or without. Return spin off buckets to near
the fuel dumps when you're done.