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Several types of fire extinguishers have been invented to put out different kinds of fires. They must be ready for instant use when fire breaks out. Most portable kinds operate for less than a minute, so they are useful only on small fires. Instructions on the extinguisher tell how to use them most effectively. It is important for the user to learn the properties and proper use of each type for each class of fire. The law requires ships, trains, intercity buses, and airplanes to carry extinguishers. They hang in schools, theatres, factories, stores, and high-rise buildings. Some people keep them in their homes, in barns, and in automobiles. Extinguishers Have Limits Used properly, a portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives. Portable extinguishers for home use, however, are not designed to fight large or spreading fires. Even against small fires, they are useful only under certain conditions. (Extinguishers should never be used by children.)
There are three basic classes of fires. All fire extinguishers are labeled using standard symbols for the classes of fires they can put out. A slash through any of the symbols tells you the extinguisher cannot be used or that the extinguisher has not been tested for a given class of fire.  Class A: Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, and paper.Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, and oil-based paint. Class C: Energized electrical equipment -- including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, machinery, and appliances. The extinguisher must be appropriate for the type of fire being fought. Multipurpose fire extinguishers, labeled ABC, may be used on all three classes of fire. If you use the wrong type of extinguisher, you can endanger yourself and make the fire worse. An extinguisher used too close to a cooking grease fire could spread the grease fire outside of the frying pan instead of putting it out. Extinguisher Sizes Portable extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating will appear on the label -- for example, 2A:10B:C. The larger the numbers, the larger the fire that the extinguisher can put out, but higher -- rated models are often heavier. Make sure you can hold and operate an extinguisher before you buy it. Installation and Maintenance Extinguishers should be installed in plain view, above the reach of children, near an escape route, and away from stoves and heating appliances. Extinguishers require routine care Read your operator's manual to learn how to inspect your extinguisher. Follow manufacturer's instructions for maintenance. Rechargeable models must be serviced after every use. (Service companies are listed in the Yellow Pages under "Fire Extinguishers.") Disposable fire extinguishers can be used only once and must be replaced after use. Remember the PASS-word Keep your back to an unobstructed exit and stand six to eight feet away from the fire. Follow the four-step Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep (PASS) procedure. PULL the pin: This unlocks the operating lever and allows you to discharge the extinguisher. Some extinguishers may have other lever-release mechanisms. AIM low: Point the extinguisher nozzle (or hose) at the base of the fire. SQUEEZE: The lever above the handle: This discharges the extinguishing agent. Releasing the lever will stop the discharge. (Some extinguishers have a button instead of a lever.) SWEEP: From side to side: Moving carefully toward the fire, keep the extinguisher aimed at the base of the fire and sweep back and forth until the flames appear to be out. Watch the fire area. If the fire re-ignites, repeat the process. Always be sure the fire department inspects the fire site, even if you think you've extinguished the fire. Should You Fight the Fire? Before you begin to fight a fire, make sure
WARNING: Portable fire extinguishers discharge faster than most people think -- many within 15 to 30 seconds. Exit Drills in the Home People can survive even major fires in their homes if they are alerted to the fire in time and know what to do. In a recent NFPA survey, half the people responding said their family had a fire escape plan, but only 16 percent said they had practiced it. Survival is Simple Plan Your Escape There's no time for planning during a fire emergency. Sit down with your family today and make a step-by-step plan for escaping a fire. Draw a floor-plan of your home, marking two ways out (including windows) of every room--especially sleeping areas. Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household. Agree on a meeting place outside your home where every member of the household will gather after escaping a fire to wait for the fire department. This allows you to count heads and inform the fire department if anyone is missing or trapped inside the burning building. IMPORTANT: Practice your escape plan at least twice a year. Have a fire drill in your home. Appoint someone to be monitor and have everyone participate. A fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly, but carefully. Make your exit drill realistic. Pretend that some exits are blocked by fire and practice using alternative escape routes. Pretend that the lights are out and that some escape routes are filling with smoke. Be Prepared Make sure everyone in the household can unlock all doors and windows quickly, even in the dark. Windows or doors with security bars need to be equipped with quick-release devices and everyone in the household should know how to use them. If you live in an apartment building, use stairways to escape. Never use an elevator during a fire. It may stop between floors or take you to a floor where the fire is burning. Some high-rise buildings may have evacuation plans that require you to stay where you are and wait for the fire department. If you live in a two-story house and you must escape from a second-story window, be sure there is a safe way to reach the ground. Make special arrangements for children, older adults, and people with disabilities. People who have difficulty moving should have a phone in their sleeping area and, if possible, should sleep on the ground floor. Doors need to be tested before opening them. While kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can and touch the door, the knob, and the crack between the door and its frame with the back of your hand. If the door is warm, use another escape route. If the door is cool, open it with caution. Put your shoulder against the door and open it slowly. Be prepared to slam it shut if smoke or flame on the other side. If you are trapped, close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the cracks around the doors to keep out smoke. Wait at a window and signal for help with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight. Do not break out the window as you may need to close it. If there's a phone in the room, call the fire department and describe exactly where you are. Get Out... In case of fire, don't stop for anything. Do not try to rescue possessions or pets. Leave the building, go directly to your meeting place, and then call the fire department from a neighbor's phone, a portable phone, or an alarm box. Every member of your household should know how to call the fire department. Crawl low under smoke. Smoke contains deadly gases, and heat rises. During a fire, cleaner air will be near the floor. If you encounter smoke when using your primary exit, use an alternate escape route. If you must exit through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, keeping your head above the floor. ...And Stay Out Once you are out of your home, don't go back for any reason. If people are trapped, the firefighters have the best chance of rescuing them. The heat and smoke of a fire are overpowering. Only firefighters have the training, experience, and protective equipment needed to enter burning buildings. Play It Safe More than half of all fatal home fires happen at night while people are asleep. Smoke alarms sound an alarm when they sense smoke from a fire, alerting people before they are trapped or overcome by smoke. With smoke alarms, your risk of dying in a home fire is cut nearly in half. Install smoke alarms outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement. Follow installation instructions carefully and test smoke alarms monthly. Change all smoke-alarm batteries at least once a year. If your alarm is more than 10 years old, replace it. For complete home protection, consider installing an automatic fire-sprinkler system. |
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