Fire Extinguisher Training

The very first thing you need to know about fire extinguishers is that they are not all created equal. Fire Extinguishers come in all shapes sizes and TYPES. It is important to remember this because not all types of extinguishers are made to fight all types of fires. Using the wrong type of extinguisher may not only not put out your fire it could also potentially be dangerous. Each type of fire extinguisher has a classification or type rating that allows users to determine if they are using the right one. My goal is to provide everyone with a clear and concise description of the different types of fire extinguishers, what their particular uses are and how to use them. 

Type A is a water hydro spray and its effectiveness is limited to wood, paper, cloth, and other flammable textiles. This type of fire extinguisher if used on an oil fire will have the same affect as dropping water into a frying pan of hot oil. It will spit and sputter and cause the fire to spread. It is equally dangerous to use this type of extinguisher on a live electrical fire, as it will also cause the fire to spread.

Type B   is spray foam and is used to combat fires that are primarily combustible liquids such as gasoline, diesel fuel, or kerosene. Type B extinguishers also have a numerical ID that indicates the approximate amount of square footage it is able to extinguish.

Type C extinguishers should be used on Electrical fires. Computers, televisions, etc. Type C extinguishers are made of a non-conductive retardant that will put out the fire without allowing an electrical charge to feed through it.

Type D fire extinguishers are used solely to extinguish fires involving flammable metals. Things like magnesium and lithium. These extinguishers are designed specifically for 1 type of fire and will be labeled Type D magnesium or Type D lithium.

Type F or sometimes called - Type K extinguishers are primarily designed to use in industrial kitchens like restaurants, schools, hospitals, etc. These extinguishers usually require the purchaser have some type of certification of qualification to use.

Multi functional fire extinguishers are the most commonly used extinguishers. You will see labels on these like Type AB, Type BC, or Type ABC. To decipher these type classifications you simply need to know what each individual type is. The multifunction codes are used to indicate suitability for covering multiple classes of fire.

Types D, F, and or K are not used in multifunction extinguishers since they are very type specific extinguishers.

When Using Any Type of Fire extinguisher

When using any type of fire extinguisher it is important to remember Safety First. Be sure you know what class of fire you are dealing with and whether or not you extinguisher is the correct type to handle it. Be sure to always approach a fire with an exit line behind you, and that your Fire extinguisher is sufficient to control the size of the fire.

P.A.S.S.

P.A.S.S

Pull – the safety pin in the trigger

Aim – at the base of the fire 

Squeeze – the extinguisher

Sweep – in a side-to-side manner, covering the width of the fire’s base.

Fire Extinguishers are all pressurized to allow users to remain a safe distance, approximately six feet away from the fire when using them. Ignoring this safety barrier could cause serious injury.

Multi functional fire extinguishers are the most commonly used extinguishers. You will see labels on these like Type AB, Type BC, or Type ABC. To decipher these type classifications you simply need to know what each individual type is. The multifunction codes are used to indicate suitability for covering multiple classes of fire.

Types D, F, and or K are not used in multifunction extinguishers since they are very type specific extinguishers.