Fire Extinguisher Use

1. Fire Extinguisher Use EHS4ALL Employee Safety Training

2. What Causes Fire??? • Fire is a chemical reaction • Fire requires 3 elements to exist • Oxygen • Fuel • Heat • This is known as the fire triangle. • Remove any one of the elements, there is no fire.

3. How the Fire Triangle Works • Heat – If we cool the fuel below it’s ignition point, it won’t burn. • Oxygen -If we remove the oxygen from the fire it can’t burn. • Fuel – If we keep combustible or flammable fuels from heat, they won’t burn.

4. Fire Extinguisher Media • What’s inside a fire extinguisher determines what kind of fire it can extinguish. • Water works to cool fuel below an ignition point. • Carbon dioxide willdilute the oxygen so fire can’t burn. • Dry chemicals interrupt the chain reaction.

5. Classes of Fire • Class A – fires in ordinary combustible materials (wood, paper, fabric, etc.) • Class B – fires in flammable liquids (gasoline, charcoal lighter fluid, diesel fuel, cooking grease, etc.) • Class C – fires in energized electrical equipment (microwave ovens, toasters, television sets, electric wall heaters, etc.)

6. Classes of Extinguishers • Class A extinguishers- For ordinary combustible materials • Class B extinguishers- for flammable liquids • Class C Extinguishers- For energized electrical fires • Class K Extinguishers – Wet chemical media for cooking fires in kitchens • Multi purpose extinguishers • A B C extinguishers will work on all classes – 2A:10BC • Match the extinguisher class to the fire class

7. Types of Extinguishers Multi-purpose ABC Dry Chemical Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Extinguishers Class K Extinguishers

8. Types of Extinguishers Water extinguishers Work on class A fires Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers remove oxygen

9. Types of Extinguishers Dry chemical extinguishers work on B and C fires, and some work on multiple fire types (A,B, and C). Select an ABC extinguisher and remove the guess work from the process.

10. Extinguisher Use Watch the video for a graphic of how to use an extinguisher.(Los Angeles City Fire Dept. CERT Program, 2012)

11. Operation • Report emergency first! (9-1-1) • Evaluate the size of the fire • Do not attempt to fight a fire larger than one cubic yard (A campus trash can or desk chair for example). 2A:10BC- (2 cubic yards A: 10 cubic yards B&C fires) • Do not let the fire get between you and your exit. • Get no closer than five feet for CO2 or 15 feet for dry chemical.

12. PASS • Pull the pin • Aim at the base of the fire • Squeeze the trigger • Sweep from side to side

13. Family Fire Safety • Have a current fire extinguisher. • Establish a family evacuation plan. • Practice it! • Install smoke detectors. • Practice good housekeeping. The best fire plan is to prevent a fire!

14. Hazards of Home Fires • The video in the next slide illustrates how fast fire can occur. • The fire in this video cannot be successfully extinguished by portable fire extinguishers. • Preventing fire is the best and most effective method of fighting fire.

15. Holiday Fire Safety • According to the National Fire Protection Association 210 structure fires are caused annually by Christmas trees. • These result in 24 deaths, 27 injuries, and over $13 million dollars in damage every year. Watch This Video

16. Summary • Know the classes of fire • Be able to match extinguishers to fire type • Know where your extinguishers are located • Know where the emergency phones are • CALL 9-1-1 and report the fire • Know how to operate your extinguishers • Make your home fire safe