Dillsboro Volunteer Fire Department

Serving the Town of Dillsboro and Clay Township

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Fire Extinguishers

P  A  S   S  --  Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep

Pull the pin at the top of the extinguisher that keeps the handle from being accidentally pressed.    Aim the nozzle toward the base of the fire.    Stand approximately 8 feet away from the fire and Squeeze the handle to discharge the extinguisher. If you release the handle, the discharge will stop. Make sure to hold extinguisher upright.   Sweep the nozzle back and forth at the base of the fire. After the fire appears to be out, watch it carefully since it may re-ignite!

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.

•     The operator must know how to use the extinguisher.  There is no time to read directions during an emergency.

•     The extinguisher must be within easy reach and in working order, fully charged.

•     The operator must have a clear escape route that will not be blocked by fire.

•     The extinguisher must match the type of fire being fought.  Extinguishers that contain water are unsuitable for use on  grease or electrical fires.

•     The extinguisher must be large enough to put out the fire.  Many portable extinguishers discharge completely in as few as 8 to 10 seconds.

Choosing Your Extinguisher

     Fire extinguishers are tested by independent laboratories and labeled for the type and size of fire they can extinguish.  Use these labels as a guide to purchase the kind of extinguisher that suits your needs.

How to Extinguish small fires

Class A - Extinguish ordinary combustibles by cooling the material below its ignition temperature and soaking the fibers to prevent re-ignition.

Use pressurized water, foam or multi-purpose (ABC-rated) dry chemical extinguishers. DO NOT USE carbon dioxide or ordinary (BC-rated) dry chemical extinguishers on Class A fires

Class B - Extinguish flammable liquids, greases or gases by removing the oxygen, preventing the vapors from reaching the ignition source or inhibiting the chemical chain reaction.

Foam, carbon dioxide, ordinary (BC-rated) dry chemical, multi-purpose dry chemical, and halon extinguishers may be used to fight Class B fires.

Class C - Extinguish energized electrical equipment by using an extinguishing agent that is not capable of conducting electrical currents.

Carbon dioxide, ordinary (BC-rated) dry chemical, multi-purpose dry chemical and halon* fire extinguishers may be used to fight Class C fires. DO NOT USE water extinguishers on energized electrical equipment.
 

Class D - Extinguish combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, potassium and sodium with dry powder extinguishing agents specially designated for the material involved.

In most cases, they absorb the heat from the material, cooling it below its ignition temperature.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE PROPER FIRE EXTINGUISHER

All ratings are shown on the extinguisher faceplate. Some extinguishers are marked with multiple ratings such as AB, BC and ABC. These extinguishers are capable of putting out more than one class of fire.

Class A and B extinguishers carry a numerical rating that indicates how large a fire an experienced person can safely put out with that extinguisher.

Class C extinguishers have only a letter rating to indicate that the extinguishing agent will not conduct electrical current. Class C extinguishers must also carry a Class A or B rating.

Class D extinguishers carry only a letter rating indicating their effectiveness on certain amounts of specific metals.

 

REMEMBER:

• Should your path of escape be threatened
   
• Should the extinguisher run out of agent
   
• Should the extinguisher prove to be ineffective
   
• Should you no longer be able to safely fight the fire

...THEN LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY

INSPECTING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Know the locations of the fire extinguishers in your area.

Make sure the class of the extinguisher is safe to use on fires likely to occur in the immediate area.

Check the plastic seal holding the pin in the extinguisher handle. Has the extinguisher been tampered with or used before? Replace any extinguishers with new if the seals are broken.

Look at the gauge and feel the weight. Is the extinguisher full? Does it need to be recharged?

"If I just use a little, do I have to replace the extinguisher?"

YES! You should want FULL extinguishers at all your locations.

While CO2 and halon extinguishers will generally hold their pressure after a slight discharge, BC and ABC rated DRY CHEMICAL extinguishers will usually NOT hold a charge after partial use. This is true for all your personal home and vehicle dry chemical extinguishers, too!

While the gauge may hold steady in the green immediately after a slight use, check it the next day and you'll find the gauge on EMPTY! This is because upon use the dry powder gets inside the seals and allows the nitrogen carrier to escape over a period of time.

After ANY use a BC or ABC extinguisher MUST be serviced and recharged. This is very important for home extinguishers also; YOU MUST HAVE THE EXTINGUISHER REFILLED AFTER ANY USE.

You can't "test" an extinguisher and put it back in the cabinet!

For additional information on the use of your fire extinguisher consult your owner / user manual or the manufacturer