PreparednessMama

Food Storage, Gardening, and Self-Reliance for Busy Moms

  • Home
  • Food Storage
    • Canning Techniques
    • Other Preservation Methods
    • Long Term Food Storage
    • How Do I Store That?
    • Grains, Beans, & Seeds
    • Wholesale Bulk Buying
    • Kitchen Tips
    • Food Storage Recipes
    • Thrive Life
  • Gardening
    • What’s Your Garden Style?
    • Composting & Soil Building
    • Gardening for Food Production
    • Tips, Tricks, Sprays & Brews
    • Grow & Use Herbs
    • Organic Harvest 15
  • Preparedness
    • 72 Hour Survival Kits
    • Make a Plan
    • Water Storage
    • DIY Preps – You Can Make It Yourself
    • Finances
    • Preparedness Reference Library
  • Resources
    • Fresh Fruit And Vegetable Guide
    • eBooks & Printables
  • About
    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
Home » Blog » Fire Extinguisher Safety

Fire Extinguisher Safety

By PreparednessMama on June 4, 2020 * 2 Comments

Fire Extinguisher Safety

In late fall and winter, we snuggle inside against the cold and use our fireplaces and candles more often. There is just something irresistible about lit candles on a cold night – but with that power comes great responsibility!

Yes, it’s that time of year, time to brush up on our fire extinguisher safety procedures.

Location, Location, Location! Where Do You Need a Fire Extinguisher?

Fire Extinguisher
Practice fire extinguisher safety

We have a fire extinguisher on each level of our home and they are in plain sight and at an accessible height– sorry no closets, or behind curtains, or tucked in a kitchen cabinet.

You want quick access to them when needed. They should be in whatever area you might have fires, like the kitchen and garage.

Kitchen: According to U.S. Fire Administration statistics, the kitchen is the place where fires most often start. If you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, most grease fires can be contained. Do not put the fire extinguisher near the stove as it will be out of your reach if the fire is on the stovetop.

You should not have to risk burns just to reach your extinguisher. Therefore, the best place to put the fire extinguisher is by the door of the kitchen so you have easy access to it.

Garage: It is a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher here because in most homes, this is the place we use as storage. Often, leftover paints, solvents, and building materials will be piled up without a second thought. Again, the best location to mount the fire extinguisher is by the door.

Get the Right Kind of Fire Extinguisher for the Job

According to FEMA.gov different types of fires require different types of extinguishers. For example, a grease fire and an electrical fire require the use of different extinguishing agents to be effective and safely put the fire out.

Basically, there are five different types of extinguishing agents. Most fire extinguishers display symbols to show the kind of fire on which they are to be used. There are also multi-purpose fire extinguishers – such as those labeled “B-C” or “A-B-C” – that can be used on two or more of the above type fires.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

 Class A extinguishersput out fires fueled by ordinary combustible materials such as cloth, wood, rubber, paper, and many plastics. 
 Class B extinguishersare used on fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline, oil, and oil-based paints. 
 Class C extinguishersare suitable for use on fires involving appliances, tools, or other equipment that is electrically energized or plugged in. 
 Class D extinguishersare designed for use on flammable metals and are often specific for the type of metal in question. These are typically found only in factories working with these metals. 
 Class K fire extinguishersare intended for use on fires that involve vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances. These extinguishers are generally found in commercial kitchens, such as those found in restaurants, cafeterias, and caterers. Class K extinguishers are now finding their way into the residential market for use in kitchens. 
Check Price Here!

ABC Fire Extinguishers are multipurpose tools that can put out class A, B, and C fires. They’re the most common types of fire extinguishers in offices, private homes, and schools. They might leave white residue behind that needs to be scrapped after the blaze is put out.

Check Price Here!

CO2 Fire Extinguishers are best used against electrical fires (class C) as they contain no water and use CO2 as fire extinguishing agent. While older CO2 fire extinguishers were not safe for indoor use as they displaced oxygen, the newest models pose no safety risk (read the product’s description first).

This type of fire extinguishers leave no residue behind and are extremely gentle on electronic equipment. They’re best used in spaces with lots of electronic equipment like office buildings, server rooms, breaker rooms and so on.

Check Price Here!

Class K Fire Extinguishers are best used in commercial kitchens and against fires started by cooking oils, animal fats, and greases. They use special fire extinguishing agents such as potassium acetate or potassium citrate that prevents from splashing the grease and reigniting the fire. They can be used against class A fires as well.

Check Price Here!

Portable Fire Extinguishers/ Sprays are valuable for immediate use on small fires. They contain a limited amount of extinguishing material (10-15 seconds) and need to be properly used so that this material is not wasted. For example, when a pan initially catches fire, it may be safe to turn off the burner, place a lid on the pan, and use an extinguisher.

By the time the fire has spread, however, these actions will not be adequate. Only trained firefighters can safely extinguish large fires, call 911 if in doubt.

Fire Extinguisher Safety for Kids
Fire Extinguisher Safety for Kids

Teach your children fire safety and how to know when a fire is too big to be contained.  FEMA has a kid’s fire safety page with lessons to teach about home fire safety, smoke alarms and escaping from a fire. The fun and games section has crosswords, coloring pages, word searches and more. Become a Jr. Fire Marshal, take the quiz and download an official certificate.

You can find out more resources on teaching kids fire safety at home in my related post: Teaching Children Fire Safety

Remember to P.A.S.S. and practice it

Download this .pdf file for your emergency preparedness binder –How to use a Portable Fire Extinguisher is brought to you by www.femalifesafety.org – FEMA, The Life Safety Group


Watch the video above from Washington State Emergency Management for a refresher on how to safely use P.A.S.S.

P

A

S

S

Pull the Pin at the top of the extinguisher. The pin releases a locking mechanism and will allow you to discharge the extinguisher.

Aim at the base of the fire, not the flames. This is important – in order to put out the fire, you must extinguish the fuel.

Squeeze the lever slowly. This will release the extinguishing agent in the extinguisher. If the handle is released, the discharge will stop.

Sweep from side to side. Using a sweeping motion, move the fire extinguisher back and forth until the fire is completely out. Operate the extinguisher from a safe distance, several feet away, and then move towards the fire once it starts to diminish.

Be sure to read the instructions on your fire extinguisher – different fire extinguishers recommend operating them from different distances. Remember: Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames!!!!

According to Dummies.com, act fast to keep the fire from getting out of control. In their article How to Put Out Kitchen Fires they suggest:

  • Never use water to put out grease fires! Water repels grease and can spread the fire by splattering the grease. Instead, try one of these methods:
    • If the fire is small, cover the pan with a lid and turn off the burner.
    • Throw lots of baking soda or salt on it. Never use flour, which can explode or make the fire worse.
    • Smother the fire with a wet towel or other large wet cloth.
    • Use fire extinguisher.
  • If the fire starts in your oven, shut off the heat source and let the flames go out on themselves by keeping the door shut. Do not open the door.
  • If the fire starts in a microwave, quickly turn it off and unplug it from the power source. Leave the door closed until the flames go out. If things seem to get out of hand call 911.

We encourage you to take a few minutes this week and brush up on your fire extinguisher safety procedures by reading Holiday Fire Safety reminders, following the links in this post and making sure your family is fire safety ready for the upcoming winter’s  cozy nights.

Other articles of interest:

Hurricane Sandy’s Terrifying Firefight – An interesting story about Firefighter heroism in the midst of Hurricane Sandy.

http://www.kxxv.com/story/20002832/two-temple-fires-started-by Two weekend fires in Texas started by cooking negligence.

PreparednessMama
Preparedness Mama and its collaborators have created a one-stop shop of critical resources for families looking to prepare for disaster. We know firsthand that getting ready for the worst with a big family poses some particular challenges.
 
We’ve learned from the past so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes again. Fear of the unknown is one of the scariest things in life, but we hope that Preparedness Mama’s treasure trove of practical advice will make that unknown less daunting and ultimately help take the scared out of being prepared for every single one of our readers.

Comments

  1. Anna Picket says

    March 31, 2016 at 9:36 pm

    That’s a good idea to keep the fire extinguishers out in the open so you can get them quickly. I don’t mind having them in plain sight as long as we can reduce any potential damage. We should probably check ours to make sure that we have the right kind that can put out kitchen fires in that room. I want to be as safe as possible.

    Reply
  2. Ridley says

    October 25, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    I appreciate all of the info you have on fire extinguishers. I like how you showed which type of extinguisher is best for which type of fire. For our kitchen, it sounds like a Class A or B one would be best, since those are the types of things we have in there.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Prepare and Prevent Home Fires - 72 Hour Kits -Emergency Preparedness says:
    November 16, 2012 at 7:41 am

    […] the fire is small, use your common sense to try and put it out. See yesterday’s post about putting out fires so you are informed enough to act quickly and safely in the event one starts and you are close by. […]

    Reply
  2. Holiday Fire Safety - It Could Save Your Life | PreparednessMama says:
    December 20, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    […] created. What! No plan? Now is the prefect time to create one and brush up on how to use a fire extinguisher and the PASS […]

    Reply
  3. Preparedness in the 1954 Girl Scout Handbook - PreparednessMama says:
    February 1, 2014 at 11:47 am

    […] a reflector fire, a fire for broiling or roasting, a beanhole fire,  a council fire. Demonstrate fire prevention and safety […]

    Reply
  4. 10 Tips for Fire Prevention Week | PreparednessMama says:
    October 8, 2014 at 6:05 am

    […] a Kitchen/Garage Fire Extinguisher and learn to use it. Visit our previous post about fire extinguisher safety, the different kinds of extinguishers and a video on how to safety use the PASS […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • Disaster Preparedness For Your Finances: The Ultimate Guide
  • 6 Benefits Of Growing A Sustainable Indoor Vegetable Garden
  • How to Communicate With Family in an Emergency
  • Creative Ways for Growing Potatoes in Containers
  • Leaving Kids Alone At Home: Preparedness Guide
Some posts on this blog contain affiliate links. At no additional charge to you, I receive a small commission whenever a product is purchased through these links. Occasionally I receive products in exchange for a review or giveaway post. PreparednessMama.com as an Amazon Associate may earn from qualifying purchases.
I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
  • About
  • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Food Storage
  • Gardening
  • Preparedness
  • Resources
  • About

Copyright © 2021 · Style theme by Restored 316

We Use Affiliate Links - View the Disclosure Page for details.

Copyright © 2021 - Preparedness Mama LLC - Gardening, Food Storage, & Self-Reliance Tips for Busy People