Fike hosts cub scouts for fire safety demonstration

Published: 01 February, 2012

A leader in industrial and explosion protection safety solutions recently hosted a group of scouts for fire and explosion safety demonstrations.

The exhibition for Webelos I and II from Boy Scout Troop 3013 (Douglas County, KS) was conducted at Fike's unique 26,000 sq. ft. explosion protection remote testing facility used for research, product development, and industrial application testing. At this isolated location, full scale tests can be conducted where noise is not an issue and release of flame can be done safely.

The scouts were working on their Engineering merit badges, which requires a visit with an engineer to discuss examples of work done, how results are achieved and career responsibilities.

"We were excited to have the opportunity to host this group of young minds," explained Chuck Kopoulos, Fike Corporation President and CEO. "Our company prides itself on engineering innovation. That starts with encouraging our youth to challenge their minds, and to seek future careers in the Engineering fields."

Tom Farrell, Fike's Senior Explosion Protection Test Engineer, gave a lecture to the students on general household fire safety and industrial explosion hazards. Demonstrations, executed by remote site staff members Chris Ballowe and John Sours, included a real-life demonstration on why water should never be used to put out a grease fire, as well as training on how to properly use a household fire extinguisher. Several industrial-scale explosions were also conducted to impress upon the students the importance of safety and good engineering practices.

"Fike's unique facility provided the scouts with exposure to several engineering disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, chemical, and software engineering," explained Farrell. "These scouts received a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a facility that is normally closed to the public, and they loved it! The kids and their parents were extremely excited and very appreciative of the demonstrations we provided. Thermodynamics will never be the same again, and engineering just got a whole lot more interesting."

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