Historic Tools

Please note: We're still developing this idea, so changes are likely:

What's this all about?
After each meeting a new unknown item will be featured in the "Historic Tools" section of the site. Take the time in-between meetings to investigate and identify the unknown tool. The story behind the item will be revealed at the following meeting (and probably posted here as well).

The items are presented in partnership with the Long Island Fire Museums (information on these organizations will be posted here when I can get it all together).

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Early Fire Extinguisher: Content inside the glass bulb was CARBONTETRACHLORIDE.

Operation Details: If fire was to contact the fuse plug holder, the bulb would fall, shattering the glass and allowing the CARBONTETRACHLORIDE solution to escape and form a barrier between the fire's fuel source and the oxygen. It could also be thrown at the base of a fire as the holder indicated (see photo).

The age of this particular fire extinguisher is not exactly known, however, they were produced up until the 1950's. One of the reasons they were no longer produced was because CARBONTETRACHLORIDE was found to be a carcinogen. This fire extinguisher was one of many that was located in a Setauket house, which was built in the late 1800's and was undergoing remodeling, when it was found by Fire Protection Coordinators in 2004.

Fire Fighters Beware! These early extinguishers are still in homes and work very effectively at displacing oxygen from an environment.