Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers seem to be an interesting & useful topic to learn about. It may help us in the future for our own safety. I chose this topic mainly because of my own interest to learn about these valuable lessons in life. There are many aspects of fire extinguishers to be known about. I know there are people, who think dealing with the device can’t get easier, but there are many things they don’t know about since they haven’t experienced much of it in life, & in my opinion, they should still be notified.

A fire extinguisher is a portable device used to put out fires of limited size. Fire needs three things to start: air, fuel, & heat. Major causes of fires is carelessness with smoking & matches, misuse of electricity, defects in heating systems, spontaneous ignition, improper rubbish disposal, & arson.

There are basically four different types or classes of fire extinguishers, each of which extinguishes specific type of fire. Class A contains pressurized water & is used on fires with paper, cloth, & wood. Class B contains carbon dioxide & is used on fire with gasoline, oil, paint, & cooking fat fires. Class C contains potassium bicarbonate or potassium chloride, is used on electrical fires because the chemical is non conducting agent, also used on burning liquids for a smothering action. Class ABC or combination is the most common at homes or schools. It contains a graphite type chemical, & is used as a multipurpose extinguisher. Always look at the labels to find out which type of fire the device can be used on. If you use the wrong type of extinguisher, you can endanger yourself & make the fire worse.

Extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating will also appear on the label. For example, 2A:10B:C. The greater the numbers, the greater the size of fire the fire extinguisher can put out, but higher-rated models are often heavier. Make sure you can hold & operate an extinguisher before you buy it. Many portable extinguishers discharge completely in as few as eight to ten seconds, so make sure you have the right type of fire extinguisher needed.

Preventions are very much necessary for any type of areas. Such as, obey all non- smoking signs; extinguish matches, cigarettes, & other flammable items completely; dispose of all waste materials in proper container; don’t allow clutter to accumulate in rooms; & when oxygen is in use, observe special precautions.

Not fighting a fire in certain situation is another thing that’s important. Those situations would be: if the fire could block your only exit; if it’s spreading too quickly; if the type or size of the extinguisher is wrong; & if you don’t know how to use your fire extinguisher! Use the method RACE R: rescue A: activate the alarm C: confine or contain the fire E: extinguish the fire. Before you begin to fight a fire, make sure that everyone has left, or is leaving the building, that the fire department has been called, the fire is confined to a small area & you have an unobstructed escape route to which the fire will not spread. It is reckless to fight a fire in any other circumstances. Instead, leave immediately, close off the area & call the fire department.

Extinguishers should be installed in plain view, above the reach of children, near an escape route, away from stoves & heating appliances. They require routine care. Read your operator’s manual & instructions to learn how to inspect & maintain your extinguisher. Rechargeable models must be serviced after every use. Disposable fire extinguishers can only be used once & must be replaced after use. Always be sure the fire department inspects the fire site, even if you think you’ve extinguished the fire.

Most of the time, people obviously don’t expect fires so they don’t bother to follow instructions & given information. You should always be ready for the unexpected. Remember “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.”