How To Use A Fire Extinguisher
Maybe using a fire extinguisher is intimidating to you, but it doesn’t have to be. A clunky looking red cylinder shaped object behind a tightly closed glass door can be a scary thing when the words “do not touch” come to mind. Or perhaps you already have a fire extinguisher sitting in your garage or kitchen area, and you’re afraid to take the first steps in learning how to use it. You’re fearful that it will explode before your eyes or create some kind of irreversible mess or damage.
Preliminaries
Smoke Detectors/Alarms
Before you think about purchasing or using a fire extinguisher, be sure that any smoke alarms or smoke detectors in different areas of your home are properly placed and maintained. Most detectors will last about 10 years and you should probably replace them after that. You also want to replace the batteries at least twice a year and test them at least once a month. If you don’t want to hear the chirping sound that alarms make with bad batteries, remove the batteries, but be sure to replace them with fresh ones.
Evacuation Plans
In case of a fire, you want to have an evacuation plan in place for you and your family to follow. Escape routes from each room in a house should be part of an emergency plan and everyone in the household should know how to carry it out in an organized and calm fashion. Avoiding panic (and injuries) is the key.
Choosing an Extinguisher
Whether you know it, there are different fire extinguishers out there and you will want to choose one that meets your household areas where fires could occur. Portable fire extinguishers will only cover an isolated area, so you need to realize that it will not extinguish a large and fast moving fire. Try to choose one that has a metal head and handle rather than plastic as this type charges more easily. Also, store your extinguisher in an area that provides easy access. If you look for an extinguisher, you can find them in hardware stores, some retail stores, fire safety supply companies and online sources. You want to choose an extinguisher that will provide fire extinguishing in certain areas of a home where fires can start, but you also want one that will put out distinct types or classes of fires. The different classes of fires include:
– Class A – wood, paper, or plastic
– Class B – flammable liquids or gasses
– Class C – electrical
– Class D – Metals (Sodium or Magnesium)
– Class K – Kitchen ( cooking oils/fats)
The fire extinguisher you choose should contain one or more of these identifying letters on the outside of the extinguisher to determine what type of fire it will extinguish. An ABC extinguisher (dry chemical) is the most likely choice, unless you have special issues in dealing with other types of fires.
Following the Steps
Using a fire extinguisher doesn’t have to be complicated if you follow a few steps. If you don’t know how to operate a fire extinguisher in an emergency, you may face a dire situation that you’ll be helpless to remedy. Here is a rundown of how to operate one.
Steps in Using a Fire Extinguisher
There are basically four steps to follow in using a fire extinguisher.
1. Pull – You want to pull the pin that sits at the top of extinguisher.
2. Aim – You want to approach the fire from a safe distance. When you take aim, you want to spray towards the base of the fire.
3. Squeeze – You want to squeeze the extinguisher handles together to release the fire retardant within the extinguisher.
4. Sweep – You want to sweep across the fire in a back-and-forth motion and aim at the base of the fire. One important thing to remember is that you only have a matter of seconds to do this.
Regardless of whether you ever experience a small fire, it’s a good idea to know how to use a fire extinguisher. You never know when a kitchen or other type of fire will happen. A portable fire extinguisher is a handy and safe way to remove the threat of a more contained fire. Just remember, when a small fire gets out of hand and spreads beyond a certain area, don’t try to put it out on your own. Your next step is to call your local fire department and get out of your house. You don’t want to play hero with an out-of-control fire.
[ad_2]Source by Perry Penn
