Fire extinguishers are essential for preventing fires from spreading and saving lives. Different types of fires require different extinguishers, classified by fire class. Class A uses water, Class B uses chemicals, Class C is for electrical fires, and Class D is for flammable metals. Regular inspection and refilling is necessary.
Fire extinguishers are highly recommended to have in your home, office and car. In a fire, quick thinking coupled with the quick application of a fire extinguisher can prevent the fire from spreading, greatly reduce damage, and potentially save lives. However, different types of fire require different types of fire extinguishers and using the wrong fire extinguisher can be dangerous. At best, you could actually cause the fire to spread and you could be seriously injured or killed. Fortunately, fire extinguishers are classified by fire class, making it easy to tell whether or not a single fire extinguisher is appropriate for the task at hand.
The most basic type of fire extinguisher is a Class A fire extinguisher. When a fire is classified as Class A, it involves “ordinary fuels,” such as paper, wood, cardboard, and simple plastics. Class A fire extinguishers are often just filled with high pressure water, to smother the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply. Typically, Class A fire extinguishers indicate how much pressurized water they contain.
A Class B fire is a fire involving flammable fuels, such as grease, oil and gasoline. Sprinkling water on a class B fire can make it even bigger, dispersing the fuel around the area. Class B fire extinguishers are filled with a chemical mixture designed to put out fire safely, and their packaging typically shows how many square feet the extinguisher can put out. This number will vary depending on the intensity of the fire and the materials involved. A subclass of a class B fire, the K fire, is a cooking fire, which can be a serious problem in a commercial kitchen.
Class C fire extinguishers are designed for electrical fires. They contain non-conductive flame retardants to smother the fire. It is extremely dangerous to use water on a Class C fire, as you could severely shock or kill yourself. Class C fire extinguishers should be kept in cars, home offices, and other areas with large amounts of electrical equipment.
The last type of fire, a class D, is a fire involving flammable metals. Typically, a Class D fire occurs only in a manufacturing or laboratory environment. While many companies sell combination fire extinguishers such as the ABC or BC fire extinguishers, a Class D fire extinguisher is never combined with any other. These extinguishers use dry powder, rather than the dry chemicals used in B and C fires.
Fire extinguishers can lose pressure or be damaged. They should be inspected regularly and many firefighters offer this service for free. If a fire extinguisher has been used, it can be refilled at the fire brigade with the appropriate material. Always ensure your fire extinguishers are readily available in an emergency, and ensure that all employees and family members know the location of the fire extinguisher, along with the significance of the ratings.
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