Get To Know the Types of Fire Extinguishers and Steps to Use Them!

2021 has been one of the world’s hottest years that we’ve seen and experienced thus far. We can count two times as many wildfires over last year’s statistics and reports, i.e., 1.163 reported cases over 588 that happened in 2020, with the Dixie Fire in California and the Oregon Bootleg Fire being the two worsts of the wildfire cases this year.

This is where you know that fire extinguishing products are important because, in the event of a wildfire transpiring near your residence, folks can quickly spring into action and contain the fire before it spreads to a much flammable area. Fire extinguisher is the best life-saving invention out there that not many know about, so let’s get to know the product to prepare us in times of emergencies.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers have many types, and they are developed differently from one another to be used for different occasions and emergencies; this is mainly because there are many types of fires, and only having one type of fire extinguisher might not make the cut to extinguish the other types of flames. Let’s take a look at the types of fire extinguishers below:

• Class A: this type of fire extinguisher is potent for fires caused by ordinary combustible materials such as paper and wood.
• Class B: this type of fire extinguisher is potent for fires caused by flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, grease, and fuel.
• Class C: this type of fire extinguisher is potent for fires caused by electrical failures and malfunctions, such as electrical fires.
• Class D: this type of fire extinguisher is potent for fires caused by metal-induced fires, such as magnesium and aluminum.
• Class K: this type of fire extinguisher is potent for fires caused by commercial cooking equipment, such as cooking oils, vegetable oils, and animal fats.

In general, a building should have more than one type of fire extinguisher to maximize safety since it houses different types of materials that have the potential to fan flames. But some products have multi-purposes such as A-B, B-C, or even A-B-C, although it is usually much pricier than the single-type.

Steps to Use Fire Extinguishers

Using a fire extinguisher is not as easy as the movies made them be. It takes training and a proper understanding of how the fire-extinguishing equipment works. Remember to carefully check if the extinguisher you are using fits the situation correctly. Now, let’s take a look at the steps to use them:

1. Get a good grip of the handle on one hand and the nozzle on the other
2. Pull the safety pin
3. Aim at the fire from an appropriate and safe distance
4. Squeeze the lever to discharge the fire extinguishing agents
5. Sweep the hose from side to side

The instruction should be clear enough, and proper training and fire drills should be exercised if you want to be effective in case of emergencies. Remember that there are different types of fires and extinguishing tools, so better be prepared for everything than sorry!…