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Be Prepared: How to Properly Use a Fire Extinguisher
Steps for Proper Fire Extinguisher Use
The best way to be ready for a fire emergency in your home is to study the steps below and review them regularly so that you can protect your home and family.
1. Identify a Clear Exit/Escape Route
Before operating the fire extinguisher, make sure you have a clear evacuation route. If you cannot put out the fire, you’ll need to make a safe exit. Consider this when determining where to store your fire extinguisher, and make sure you’ll have multiple exit options nearby after you retrieve it.
2. Stand Back
Face the fire and keep your back to the clear exit you earlier identified. You should stay between six and eight feet away from the flames as you prepare to operate the fire extinguisher.
3. Discharge Extinguisher
It can be difficult to think clearly during an emergency, so fire safety has a long-standing acronym to help you recall the steps involved in operating your fire extinguisher. Just remember PASS:
P: Pull the pin on the fire extinguisher.
A: Aim the nozzle on the hose low, toward the base of the fire.
S: Squeeze the handle or lever to discharge the extinguisher.
S: Sweep the nozzle back and forth. Keep the fire extinguisher aimed at the base of the fire and move it from side to side until the flames are extinguished.
4. Keep an Eye on Things
After the flames appear to be out, continue to watch the fire area to make sure it doesn’t reignite. If the fire does start up again, repeat the PASS process.
5. Call the Fire Department
If you didn’t have the chance to call the fire department before discharging the fire extinguisher, do so now. They will be able to inspect the site of the fire and make sure that it is completely extinguished.
6. Get to a Safe Place
Once the fire is out, or if you are unable to extinguish the fire, leave the scene and find a place out of reach of the fire.
Common Fire Extinguisher Mistakes
We don’t have regular opportunities to practice fighting fires and it’s easy to make simple mistakes when the time comes. Know where most people go wrong so you can avoid making a mistake while under pressure.
- Don’t Ignore the Instructions: Thoroughly read the operating instructions that came with your fire extinguisher. Make sure all able members of your home read and understand the instructions. Review them regularly when you conduct fire drills and go over your evacuation plan.
- Don’t Use the Wrong Type of Fire Extinguisher: Never use a fire extinguisher for a class of fire that is not indicated on the label. Most importantly, extinguishers that are labeled for Class A fires only cannot be used on electrical or grease fires. However, it is safe to use an extinguisher labeled for Class B and C fires on a Class A fire. While Class K fires are technically a subset of Class B fires, other contents in Class B extinguishers can make Class K fires worse, so it’s best to get a separate extinguisher for cooking fires.
- Don’t Let Your Extinguisher Go Bad: Fire extinguishers come with an expiration date, after which the extinguishing agent is no longer effective. Know the dates on your fire extinguishers and replace them as needed.
- Don’t Forget about Exits: When you decide where to keep your fire extinguisher, make sure it is in an easily accessible location near exterior doors. Also, consider the most common places where fires occur in a home and place your extinguishers accordingly.
- Don’t Keep It a Secret: Make sure that everyone in your home knows where the fire extinguishers are kept. Share the location, along with your entire fire escape plan, with babysitters, house sitters, and any long-term visitors.
