Important Message for Occupy DC!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!

I just watched a report of the tent camp and saw something very dangerous that could kill somebody.

If you are using a Propane Catalytic Heater or Propane Lantern, make sure you know what you are doing.

Real tents have a vent in the top and and what is something like and umbrella over it for a reason.

So you don't die.

Those devices are only safe with a vented tent. You will also notice even in a camper you have to crack the vent if you use those propane devices.

I noticed one person interviewed who showed a heater and was inside a homemade tent with no vent. If your going to camp out like that, at least have basic knowledge. One camper already died from the same thing in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I lost a friend to this same thing. He was hunting and did not have his ropes taut enough. It rained all night and the weight of the water collapsed the vent cover while he was using the same kind of heater. He was found dead the next morning. You go to sleep and don't wake up. You won't even know what's happening to you.

Also take the time to learn how to use things like your sleeping bags. The insulation only works if you remove your clothing and you can freeze faster if crawl in with everything on.

Winter camping is not a walk in the park and hypothermia can kill you also. Please don't be dumb and think you can buy some junk at a store and know how to use it safely. You start having uncontrollable shivers, get the hell to a hospital fast.

Be safe if you have to do this. Safe and intelligent.

Some very good advice OP - I hope
someone near the camps can point
this danger out to those using the
heaters without vents. Personally
I wouldn't use a heater at all in
a tent, but that's just me.

S @ F

Thank you Blaine for spreading good information and looking out for your fellow humans.

I would only hope they take such advice, but as we all know ignorance runs rampant in our society.

Very few people know the basics of these things. Thanks again for speaking up.

If you save only one life you are a complete success.

reply to post by IndigoValor


Please, this is an important message. Don't post off topic crap. This is about safety, not the issues.

reply to post by Blaine91555


I'd like to bump this...

I care about humans... I love humans.... Please use your equipment wisely!

reply to post by Blaine91555

Also take the time to learn how to use things like your sleeping bags. The insulation only works if you remove your clothing and you can freeze faster if crawl in with everything on

I was always taught the more layers the better.

More air between the layers means more insulation and heat retention.

But maybe sleeping bags are different?

Anyway, good message.

reply to post by Chadwickus


When you crawl in you are already insulated by your coat and layers of clothing. That prevents your body heat from heating the insulation in the bag. It also seals in the moisture. Wool underwear is a solution but very itchy. Seems counter intuitive but it's true. Learned that on a 14 day winter survival trip as a youth after suffering for two days before the instructor explained it.

Arctic rated bags will keep you just fine up to around 20 below if used right. Now of course the chemical hand warmers are dirt cheap also instead of the heated rocks we used. I keep a box in my vehicles and wool blankets. They work for 8 to 12 hours and I get them for about fifty cents when they are on sale. Just squeeze and shake, you have a heated sleeping bag. They call them hand warmers but they work great in a bag. That and your clothes get a chance to dry out for the next day.

That's another issue people often don't realize. One of the reasons for the layers as you know is so you can remove them to keep from sweating which is very dangerous. I've spent many winters working in extreme conditions when younger.

Another thing I should have perhaps mentioned is a warm hat. You loose something like 15% of your body heat through your head. People often don't have a Mummy bag and if they do they don't use them right and leave their head hanging out.

S & F

The only thing I'd like to add is for them to wear clean, dry socks at night. Never wear the socks you've worn all day. Like Blaine said, the sweat is not good. Besides, your feet will be much warmer.

reply to post by WTFover


Good point and an important one. Thanks.

S & F. Good on you, OP, for looking our for your fellow man. Thanks for posting this.

Also, I'm glad to learn that about taking off your clothes to seal insulation in a sleeping bag, I had no idea. Ya never know when that kind of knowledge can come in handy!

Had a friend almost do this about 15 yrs ago when the propane heaters started becoming popular. He had had it in the back of his truck with his cap on and no window vents open. Also have to watch for combustibles. Keep your sleeping bags and supplies away from them, fire isn't going to help out either.

Or......they can go home take a bath and get a job.

Those catalytic heaters are garbage anyway, not worth the risk. I used one last winter, and it was nice and warm, a few inches above the platinum element, but that's about it. It would work better if the ventilation wasn't required, but then as Blaine says you would die. It's better to get a good cold rated sleeping bag and be done with it. Military surplus sleeping bags are the best for the money, IMO. Also always make sure to wear something on your head if you don't have a mummy bag, your head is where your body heat escapes.

ETA: Looks like Blaine already pointed out the head thing.

They don't care.
In the collective the weak and the dumb get weeded out one way or another so they wouldn't survive long in the collective anyway. There's no room for compassion and individualism in those soviet enclaves.

This thread gave me a great idea, I only wish I had the time. Someone should do a quick survival list/winter camping safety thread for all those that visit ATS that are currently occupying. to the OP for this.

Touching post by the OP, as much as I don't agree with these stragglers just doing all this as a jibe I'd not want to see some poor sod dead.

Personally I wish they would all go home, the point by the initial people was made within the first day, it then became activist heaven for those that like to poke one finger at society in general.

Mind you, will these bonged out folks actually see the kind words by the OP?

So ATS is now the place for camping safety? seriously?

Post should have been removed immediately. It's ATS, not OWS HQ.

Very good post, Blaine. Propane is very dangerous. I learned how to drive a forklift over the summer, and it used propane tanks. I had to learn how to safely change the tanks. We had to wear special gloves every time, and take a safety course online. You have to be careful not to store the tanks near anything flammable.

Here's a quick PDF on safety tips

www.propane.tx.gov...

reply to post by ThirdEyeofHorus



I'm certain there's a message board that addresses proper use of propane tanks. ATS probably isn't it.