Fire Extinguisher 101

If you ask someone where to find a fire extinguisher in their home or workplace, there’s a good chance they’ll be able to point you in the right direction. However, if you try asking a follow up question about how to use the fire extinguisher, then…well…they may be less helpful.

 

This isn’t surprising, as many people go their whole lives without ever having to use a fire extinguisher. While it’s great that they haven’t been put in such a dangerous situation, this also means their inexperience with fire extinguishers could work against them in an emergency situation.

 

If this sounds like you, then you’ve found the right article. Let’s go over the basics of fire extinguishers to help keep you and everyone around you safe in a dangerous situation.

 

Fire Classes

A fire extinguisher isn’t a one size fits all deal – you have to use different ones for different types of fires. There are 5 common classes of fire, including:

 

  • Class A is for freely burning combustibles, like paper, wood, and cardboard.
  • Class B is for burning liquids or gasses, like kerosene, gasoline, oil, and grease.
  • Class C is for electrical fires, like those involving appliances, circuit breakers, and outlets.
  • Class D is for fires involving combustible metals, like potassium, sodium, titanium, and magnesium
  • Class K is for cooking-related fires, like cooking oils and fats

 

A lot of fire extinguishers found in homes and businesses are labelled as Class ABC, so they can be used for multiple types of fires. You can typically find the remaining two types, Classes D and K, in factories and commercial kitchens respectively.

 

Fire Extinguisher Types

There are various types of fire extinguishers available, but the following are the most common ones.

 

  • Dry chemical extinguishers are filled with powder or foam. They’re appropriate for Class A, B, and C fires. 
  • Water extinguishers contain water. They’re suitable for Class A fires.
  • Carbon dioxide extinguishers are filled with carbon dioxide. They work best on Class B and C fires.
  • Wet chemical extinguishers contain a potassium solution. They are best for Class K fires.
  • Dry powder extinguishers typically contain either a sodium chloride or a special graphite base. They are ideal for Class D fires.

 

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

Portable fire extinguishers tend to be quite effective. In fact, a survey by The National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors reported that they were able to extinguish fires nearly 95% of the time. This may be because they have been designed so that anyone can use them – all you have to remember to do is PASS.

 

  • Pull the pin and release the locking mechanism.
  • Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire while maintaining a safe distance.
  • Squeeze the trigger slowly to release the extinguishing agent.
  • Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side until you are certain that the fire is out.

 

Keep in mind that portable fire extinguishers are only meant for small fires, so they only contain so much of the extinguishing agent. Therefore, you should always have an escape route ready to go in case the extinguisher runs out before the fire does.

 

For more on fire extinguishers, and to take advantage of our mobile extinguisher services, click here to contact Fire-Alert today!