Fire Safety Guidelines
General
- There is a mandatory safety class after dinner on Friday and Saturday night (about 8:15PM) for anyone who intends to use fire or safety at all over the weekend. If you have been to a WildFire within the same year, it is still recommended.
- NO GROUND CIRCLES/LINES/DOTS or fire directly on the field. Spin off equipment that might damage the field before lighting up. We have promised to keep the site in the same condition as before we arrived (Please, leave no trace).
- You are always responsible for your own safety, including always finding and having a safety while working with fire.
- Only safety someone 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.)
- 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.
- Be prepared to take a turn safetying if you yourself have been safetied.
- Minors must be cleared with the field safety organizer, 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.
For Standard Equipment (standard poi, staff, swords, hoop, torches, fans, etc.):
- If you’re a beginner, know that you (or anyone) may always check in with the safety coordinator or an safety 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 safety vet or safety coordinator to safety for you.
- Look at the field. Is there plenty of room to spin?
- Find a safety. Ask someone standing around the field to safety you - it's a great way to make new friends anyway! Make sure you identify what you'll be spinning and how much experience you have. Experienced safeties and spinners may feel comfortable having more than one spinner to each safety, but should typically not exceed 2:1.
- Go check and fuel your equipment, and spin excess fuel off in a safe place. Check in with your safety before lighting up.
- Walk to where you'll be spinning, preferably around the perimeter of the field. Do not walk between safeties and their spinners. Do not walk close to lit spinners.
- 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, as you're still surrounded by lit equipment.
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 (politely - we're family here) 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 immediately afterwards.
- 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.
Large Groups
- Follow the guidelines for the equipment you'll be using.
- Gather 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 with the willingness, knowledge and experience to do so. For non-standard equipment, unusual tricks, or fire breathing, 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.
- The default location for breathers is in the parking lot. If you are doing multiple breaths, or multi-person breaths, please stay in this location. This includes newbies and old hands practicing.
- If you are doing a single breath while interacting with spinners, you may breathe on the main field. Pay close attention to those around you when you do, as they may not expect it.
- Thank your safety and field safety coordinator afterwards.
Fire Eating/Fleshing
- Find your safety. The safety must be standing and 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.