SELECTING THE CORRECT FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Coastal Fire and Safety offers a wide range of fire extinguishers to cover every type of hazard. From a small residential kitchen to a fuel dispensing station we can recommend the fire extinguishers you need in the event of a fire.
The National Fire Protection Association notes that portable fire extinguishers can “save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives, but portable extinguishers have limitations.”
Different Classes of Fires
Class A fires (ordinary combustibles) involve the burning of paper, cloth, plastic, wood and other ordinary materials.
Class B fires (flammable liquids) occur when oil, gasoline, grease, paint and solvents ignite.
Class C fires (electrical equipment) happen when faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, malfunctioning computers or other electrical equipment start a fire.
Class D fires (metal) involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, sodium or potassium. These fires are limited to laboratories with these dangerous substances on hand.
Class K fires (cooking) ignite in kitchens using hot grease and oil to cook food.
Different Types of Fire Extinguishers
Each class of fire has a corresponding type of fire extinguisher designed to put it out. Look for the following options when shopping for the right style for your home or business:
Air-pressurized water extinguishers for Class A fires: Because it’s so inexpensive and readily available, water is commonly used to put out ordinary Class A fires. These extinguishers are usually silver colored and stand 2 to 3 feet tall. Some versions have a detergent inside to make the water foam and be more effective at cooling and smothering the flames.
Carbon dioxide or dry chemical extinguishers for Class B and C fires: Water is not effective for putting out fires caused by flammable liquids or electrical equipment. In fact, water could make matters worse. That’s why you need a CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher for Class B and C fires. The CO2 displaces the oxygen, and its coolness brings the temperature down so the fire can no longer burn.
Multipurpose or “ABC” extinguisher for Class A, B and C fires: In most cases, this is the type of fire extinguisher you want to have on hand. A single canister can handle the three most common types of fires: Class A, B and C. Multipurpose fire extinguishers are comprised of dry chemicals that coat the fire with a retardant power, choking it of oxygen. The dry chemicals also interrupt the chemical reaction required for the fuel source to burn. These fire extinguishers are the signature red color you’re most familiar with and weigh between 5 and 20 pounds.
Wet chemical extinguishers for Class K fires: Commercial kitchens are required to have Class K fire extinguishers on hand in addition to the hood suppression system. Because of the high temperature of cooking oils, flames in a deep fryer may continue to blaze, even when you attempt to use a Class B fire extinguisher on the flammable liquid. The smothering agents inside Class K fire extinguishers are specifically designed to extinguish cooking oil fires and prevent re-ignition.
How Fire Extinguishers Work
Fire is a fierce chemical reaction that results in light, heat, flames and smoke. In order to burn, a fire requires three things: oxygen, heat and a fuel source.
Portable fire extinguishers are designed to displace one of these requirements. This includes cooling the fuel source, separating the oxygen from the fuel, or stopping the chemical reaction altogether.
To use a fire extinguisher, NFPA recommends remembering to “PASS”:
Pull the pin and hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointed away from you, then release the locking mechanism.
Aim low – point at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the lever slowly.
Sweep the nozzle in a side-to-side motion.