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TYPES OF FIRE AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER. By NWACHUKWU CHINWENDU JOY. FIRE EXTINGUISHER. Fire outbreaks in the country have assumed epidemic proportions as rampaging infernos are reported more often in different parts of the country.
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TYPES OF FIRE AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER By NWACHUKWU CHINWENDU JOY
Fire outbreaks in the country have assumed epidemic proportions as rampaging infernos are reported more often in different parts of the country. • These fire incidents which are tragic in some cases, have affected public and private structures in the country, as both have been incessantly razed down, leading to the loss of property worth billions of naira. • Fire is a deadly destructive force. • Knowing when and how to use a fire extinguisher is a matter of life and death. (This you will understand as we go further) • It is vital to know what type of extinguisher you are using. Using the wrong type of extinguisher for the wrong type of fire can be life-threatening. • Although chances are that we would go through our entire life or working career and never have to put out fire. • Also chances are that you may never have to use one on the road but their should be one in the office and your vehicles just like at home.
We all know that should there be any fire incident, fire service will be on everybody’s lips. • The best way for the average person to be safe from fire is to prevent it from happening in the first place. • However, in certain situations a fire extinguisher can help you limit the damage that fire might cause by putting it out before it has chance to go out of control. • Fire extinguishers are your first defense against fire. • Before we talk in details about fire extinguishers lets talk about Fire itself. • FIRE: You can think of fire as a three part chemical reaction or a Triangle. • The base of the triangle is FUEL: • Fire needs some materials to burn. • Then one side is HEAT: All fire is hot • The other side is OXYGEN (O2) • Without oxygen fire goes out
FIRE • Fire extinguishers put fire out by taking one of the 3 parts out of the mix and interrupts the chemical reaction. • Fire is very fast. • In only 30 secs a small fire can grow completely out of control and engulf a room. • Room temperature in a fire can be a 100o at the floor and up to 600o at eye level. O2 Heat Fuel
The best way to survive a fire is to have working smoke Alarms and a quick safe escape rout. Knowing when and how to use a fire extinguisher is a matter of life and death because if you choose the wrong extinguisher or use it in the wrong circumstances you could make a small fire worst or you could be injured or even killed.
CLASSES OF FIRE • No two fires are just alike. Fires burn, spread and extinguished depending on what is burning. • Fires are separated into classes depending on what is burning. • And fire extinguishers are designed to put out only a certain class or classes of fire are: • The Classes Of Fire Are: A, B, C, D, and K. • CLASS A FIRES: • Class A fires are those in order of ordinary combustibles materials like; Wood, Paper, Trash, Cloth etc. • These fire can be extinguished by either air pressured water or dry chemical extinguished. • Class A extinguishers are labeled with a letter A inside a Triangle and or a Picture Of Burning Trash.
CLASS B FIRES: • Class B fires are fires of Flammable Liquids like Oil, Grease, Gasoline, Kerosene and Acetone etc. • Using water on a class B fires can spread the fire to a larger area causing more damage or even injury . • DO NOT USE WATER ON A CLASS B FIRE • Class B fires can be extinguished by either dry chemical extinguishers or carbon dioxide extinguishers. • Class B extinguishers are labeled with letter B inside a Square and or Picture Of A Burning Gas Can.
CLASS C FIRES: • This is the category for electrical fires such as those in appliances or rather electrical outlet. That is: • Electrical equipment • Energized electrical appliances • Equipment and outlets (TV, Computer, Sockets) • Class C extinguishers are labeled with a letter C inside a Circle and or a picture of a burning electrical plug. • MULTIPURPOSE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS • Most homes are best protected by multi purpose fire extinguishers. • These extinguishers are called the dry chemical extinguishers. • Dry chemical extinguishers work by separating the fuel element of the fire from its oxygen supply.
The agents inside the extinguisher coats the fuel with a thin layer of dust. • It does not only separate the fuel from the oxygen in the air but it also interrupts the chemical reaction of the fire. • Multipurpose Dry Chemical Extinguisher are also called A,B, C, extinguisher because they put out class A,B, and C fires. • These extinguishers are safe for use on; • Ordinary Combustibles fires like furniture and papers • Fires of flammable liquids like; Grease and Nail Polish remover etc. • And on fires in Electrical Equipment • They are labeled with the A,B and C emblems and or the pictures associated with each type.
In addition to the letters and picture symbols, • Fire extinguishers labels have numbers on them, that tell the size of the fire the extinguisher can handle. • The number with a letter A tells how much water or other extinguishing agents it holds. • The number with letter B, tells approximately how many square feet of a flammable liquid fire the extinguisher will put out 2: A; 10: B, C • The larger these two numbers, the larger the fires they can be expected to put out. 4: A; 60: B; C (the larger the number, the larger the fire they can be expected to put out.) • There’s no number associated with C on the label
THE FOURTH CLASS OF FIRE IS CLASS D • These fires are those incombustible metals such as: Magnesium, Titanium, Potassium, Sodium and others. • Class D extinguishers are necessary in laboratories and industrial areas where these metals are found. • The metals burn in extremely high temperatures and react violently with water, air and certain chemicals. • Class D extinguishers are labeled with a letter D inside a Star. • CLASS K FIRES: • They are fires in a restaurant kitchen. • In recent years restaurant industries have began to use vegetable oils in their deep fat fryers. • Class K extinguishers were developed to deal with these hotter oil fires in restaurant settings. • Class K extinguishers are labeled with a letter K and or a picture of fats in cooking appliances.
It is important to understand the classes of fire for two reasons. First; • To make certain you purchase the type of extinguisher you are most likely to need and secondly • To make certain before you try to put out a fire that you have the right fire extinguisher at hand. • Note: If you do not know for sure what is burning do not even try to extinguish a fire. • - Exit immediately and call the fire department from a neighboring home or business. • Fire extinguishers are great tool for limiting the damage a fire can do if they are used under the right conditions.
If you think you can fight a fire safety, go ahead and give the extinguisher a try. • Here is what has to happen, first; • Call the fire department emergency number or tell someone else to do it, if you are at work pull a fire Alarm too. • Only try to fight a fire that is small and contained. • If the fire is spreading, leave the area immediately. Also, try to use the extinguisher that is easy to reach and in working order. • That is fully charged and filled • Also make sure that the extinguisher is large enough to put out the fire within 8 to 10 secs. • That’s how long you have because most extinguishers completely discharge their extinguishing agents in under 10 secs.
Most portable fire extinguishers are fairly straight forward to operate but if you don’t know how to use the extinguisher you have, the time of fire is not the time to learn. • Only attempt using extinguisher you are familiar with. • Don’t start fighting the fire until everyone else has left the area or is leaving. • Before you try to fight a fire, position yourself between the fire and an easy to reach exit. • The exit should be at your back as you face the fire. • Don’t hesitate to quit if conditions change. • If smoke fills the room, drop the extinguisher, get on your hands and knees. • Cover your nose and mouth with your shirt and crawl to the exit. (Remember the temperature at floor level is cooler) • The indispensible key to fighting fire safely is knowing how to use the extinguisher.
If you are not very comfortable with operating instructions don’t even try to use the extinguisher. • Different extinguishers have slightly different operations but they are similar. • Here are a few simple steps that apply to most extinguishers. Just remember PASS. • P.A.S.S is a memory device for the four basic steps of fire extinguishers use. • P: Pull the pin; • A pin or latch locks the operating lever. • Pull the pin or latch to free the lever. • And stand 6 to 8 feet away from the fire. • A: Aim the extinguishers nozzle or host low at the base of the fire (this is where the flame is touching the fuel source)
S: Squeeze the lever that operates the extinguisher. • The extinguishing agent will immediately begin to discharge. • S: Sweep from side to side. If the fire seems to be going out move carefully towards the fire as you continue to sweep from side to side. • Even after the fire appears to be out, keep an eye on the sight until the fire department arrives. • Fire fighters should examine the sight of any fire to be certain that is completely out. • FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AT HOME • At home, you should have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, the basement, the garage and the workshop. • Also, it is a good idea to have one near the bedroom and in the living room especially if there’s any smoker is living at home or if you use wood stoves or space heaters for heat.
In your home, install fire extinguishers 3 to 5 feet off the ground where the adults can easily see and reach them. • Teach kids that extinguishers are not toys and are not to be touched. • If you use a bracket to hang your extinguisher make sure that the bracket is easy to open. • A stable shelf or anchor is a good location • Never hide your extinguishers in a closet or cupboard. • Store all extinguishers away from heat sources • Install extinguishers near the exit and between any likely source of fire and the exit. • AT THE OFFICE:If you work in an office or other low fire risk settings, fire extinguishers are installed much as they are at home. • Fire extinguishers are placed in the kitchens, near machinery and in the hall ways.
In most communities, work place fire extinguishers are subject to regulation. Your local fire department will be happy to assist you in selecting and installing fire extinguishers in your work place. • Fire extinguishers are generally easy to maintain. • Make sure any moving parts are dust and • Check extinguisher monthly to see if they are charged and full. • Most A,B and C extinguishers are disposable and must be discarded after use. • If their gauges show empty, they must be replaced . • Rechargeable units must be recharged if their gauges indicate low charge. • Most of us hope that if we found the fire burning • We can save the day by putting it out but putting out a fire is not as simple as it seems.
Fire is major killer. • It is hotter, faster and more uncontrollable than many people think. • At the same time, a knowledgeable adult with a working fire extinguisher can put out some small containable fires. • In the case of a fire, evacuate the building, call the fire department or have someone else call form a neighboring house or business and then assess whether a small blaze can be put out with a fire extinguisher. Preparation and knowledge can make fire extinguishers your first defense against fire. • Close your eyes for a second can you point to the nearest fire extinguisher. Where is the second one. • No matter where you happen to be you should always know the location of the nearest extinguisher. • Have you inspected it lately, Is the inspection Tag up to Date?
Fire extinguisher should be inspected regularly and at least once in a month, even if your company inspect them. • You should look them over to make sure they meet 3 requirement. • Is the extinguisher charged? • The pressure should always be at the recommended level . • An extinguisher is equipped with the gauge the need should be in the green zone, not too high not too low. • 2. That all extinguishers are mounted correctly. • The top of an extinguisher should never be mounted higher than 6 inches above the flame surface and the bottom of an extinguisher never be closer than 4 inches above the floor. • They should be used as door props or paper wedge • They are not cloth hanger or tool hooks • (3) Are they unobstructed and easily accessed. • Never place anything in front of a fire extinguisher so that in the event
of emergency, we can’t waste time trying to find the extinguisher that is hidden by a box or impossible to reach because it’s behind a piece of equipment. • Most fire standard recommend a clear and unobstructivepath to the extinguisher should be maintained at all time with the access being at least 2 to 3 feet code. • They cannot be hidden behind doors, cabinet or anything else. • There are two important things to remember if you ever need to use an extinguisher. First, • Make sure that you never place yourself in a position where the fire is between you and a safe exit. • Keep the fire in front of you and a safe exit at your back. • Remember the PASS system • P = PULL • A = AIM • S = SQUEEZE • S = SWEEP • And if you are unsure that you can put the fire out, evacuate the area.
ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF QUENCHING FIRE IN THE ABSENCE OF A FIRE EXTINGUISHER • SMOOTHERING: This is the process off interrupting the interaction of the burning substance and the fire with oxygen. • This is done by covering the flame with a thick material, eg. Blanket, heavy cloth, sand, a pile of wet leaves, metal pan etc. • In the case of an electrical fire, what step should be taken first ? • The very first action to take in any emergency situation is to calm down. • Subsequently, in a case of an electrical fire, the first action toward quenching the fire should be to switch off the power source, e.g. the control switch. • TIPS ON FIRE NEAR MISS • In a situation where there is an already existing flame, and there happens to be a new source of gas leakage near the existing fire, what is the first step to be taken and why?
The first step should not be switching off the existing fire, • Rather it should be to close the source of the gas leakage, ventilate the room and subsequently, if desired, switch off the existing flame. • This is because, the process of igniting or switching off a flame in most situations (e.g. matches, gas burners, lighters etc) releases sports. • These sparks are more violent and raise more prominent signals than already existing flames. • Hence, in the above stated situation, switching off the source of the existing flame will trigger fire immediately, because sparks will be formed while switching the fire off. • Closing the source of the gas leakage and ventilating the room should be done first.
