Fire Extinguisher Safety

It’s that time of year. 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?

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 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.

Portable fire extinguishers 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.

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.

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 this video from Washington State Emergency Management for a refresher on how to safely use 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 a fire extinguisher.

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 this winter’s  cozy nights.

Other articles of interest:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/11/04/hurricane-sandy-s-terrifying-firefight.html An interesting article 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.