{"id":2448,"date":"2021-03-03T00:56:34","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T00:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/militaryexcess.com\/?p=2448"},"modified":"2021-03-03T17:10:27","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T17:10:27","slug":"are-mre-heaters-actually-dangerous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/militaryexcess.com\/are-mre-heaters-actually-dangerous\/","title":{"rendered":"Are MRE Heaters Actually Dangerous"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The purpose of an MRE is to have a quick easy meal without the use of the usual cooking materials. In order for this to happen, there needs to be some kind of heater or cooker that comes with an MRE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) heaters can be dangerous. Known as Flameless Ration Heaters (FRH), they use a chemical reaction in order to heat up the food to over 100 degrees. If not treated or used correctly, this amount of heat can be a fire hazard.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The potential danger of MRE heaters can be underestimated, which is why we need to talk about how they work, how dangerous they can be, and how to properly deal with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are MRE Heaters Actually Dangerous?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

MRE heaters believe it or not can be dangerous. These MRE heaters are referred to as Flameless Ration Heaters (FRH’s) due to the fact that they don’t use flame or fire to heat up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is due to chemical reaction that happens within the FRH. We’ll dive into this chemical reaction in the next section. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put it simply, if water interacts with the FRH, the chemical reaction starts, and becomes a fire hazard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the words of the actual military, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Un-activated MRE heaters pose a potential fire hazard if they become wet<\/p>Source<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is actually laws put into place by U.S. department of Agriculture Forest Service against collecting and storing unused FRH’s. Source<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news about all of this is that the actual chemical reaction can only happen once in each FRH. So if you actually use your FRH you have nothing to worry about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also have little to worry about if you keep it in the original MRE package and if you keep it out of damp places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is needless to say that FRH’s can be dangerous, but if you treat them right they will be more than ok. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How MRE Heaters work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Flameless Ration Heaters use a chemical reaction of powdered magnesium, iron, salt, and water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The magnesium, iron, and salt are already in the package. So when someone adds water to these materials, it start that reaction that we are talking about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To make a flameless heater, magnesium dust is mixed with salt and a little iron dust in a thin, flexible pad about the size of a playing card. To activate the heater, a soldier adds a little water.”<\/p>Source<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Below is a video describing what goes on in the reaction and it actually shows the FRH heating up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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