Home Fire Extinguishers

Big Fires Start Small
Many people have been severely burned by trying to fight a fire without an extinguisher. Having an extinguisher nearby and knowing how to use it gives you a safe option and a fighting chance to keep a small fire from becoming one that destroys your home.

Don't Forget to Call!
Send someone to call the fire department immediately, even if you have put the fire out. Your firefighters can check to make sure the fire hasn't spread into the attic or other parts of your home. They can also clear the smoke from your home and identify the cause of the fire for you.

Know When to Quit
Fires grow quickly and can flashover to engulf an entire room without warning. Extinguishers are meant for small fires. If you're not immediately successful in extinguishing the fire, get out and stay out.

Used properly, a portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or controlling it until the fire department arrives.

EXTINGUISHERS AND LIMITS
Portable extinguishers, intended for the home, are not designed to fight large or spreading fires. However, even against small fires, they are useful only under certain conditions:

Choose your extinguisher carefully. A fire extinguisher should bear the seal of an independent testing laboratory It should also be labeled as to the type of fire it is intended to extinguish.

The extinguisher must be large enough to put out the fire. Most portable extinguishers discharge completely in as few as eight seconds.

Classes of fires: There are three basic classes of fires. All fire extinguishers are labeled with standard symbols for the classes of fires they can put out. A red slash through any of the symbols tells you the extinguisher cannot be used on that class of fire. A missing symbol tells you only that the extinguisher has not been tested for use on a given class of fire.

	Class A: Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics.
	Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, grease, tar, oil-based paint, lacquer, and flammable gas.
	Class C: Energized electrical equipment including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers machinery, and appliances.

Many household fire extinguishen are"multipurpose" A-B-C models, labeled for use on all three classes of fire. If you are ever faced with a Class A fire, and you don't have an extinguisher with an "A" symbol, don't hesitate to use one with the "B:C" symbols.

WARNING: It is dangerous to use water or an extinguisher labeled only for Class A fires on a grease or electrical fire.

Extinguisher sizes: Portable extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating is a number from 1 to 10 for Class A fires and 1 to 640 for Class B fires. The rating will appear on the label. The larger the number, the larger the fire the extinguisher can put out. Higher rated models are often heavier. Make sure you can hold and operate the extinguisher before you buy it. Most household extinguishers are rated IA or 2A and/or 5B, 10B, or 208. The "C" just indicates that you can use it on electrical fires.

INSTALLATION/MAINTENANCE
Extinguishers should be installed in plain view above the reach of children near an escape route and away from stoves and heating appliances. Consult the Gloucester Fire Department for advice on the best locations.
Extinguishers require routine care. Read your operator's manual and ask your dealer how your extinguisher should be inspected and serviced. Rechargeable models must be serviced after every use. Disposable fire extinguishers can be used only once: they must be replaced after one use. Following manufacturers instructions, check the pressure in your extinguishers once a month.

REMEMBER THE P·A·S·S· WORD
Stand 6 to 8 feet away from the fire and follow the four-step PASS procedure. If the fire does not begin to go out immediately, leave the area at once. Always be sure the free department inspects the fire.

PULL the pin: This unlocks the operating lever and allows you to discharge the extinguisher Some extinguishers have other devices that prevent inadvertent operation.
AIM low: Point the extiguisher nozzle (or hose) at the base of the fire.
SQUEEZE the lever below the handle: This discharges the extinguishing agent. Releasing the lever will stop the discharge. Some extinguishers have a button that you press
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 reignites, repeat the process.