Canux : Home Sweet Home

Posts Tagged ‘Fires’

Fire extinguishers are fairly easy to use, but still you need to familiarize yourself with its usage otherwise you will end up causing more harm than good. During fire emergency situation some people have the tendency to panic which oftentimes result to uncoordinated reactions. They get so overwhelmed by confusion that they would miss even the most simple of instruction such as using extinguishers.

Emergency equipments are designed to be user-friendly which simply means it does not take an engineer to correctly use it. Considering the potential of fires to cause colossal damage and high casualty, manufacturers of fire extinguishers made it point to provide easy to follow instructions on each of their product. In anticipation of an emergency situation wherein memorized instructions might be forgotten because of panic, the instructions in using a fire extinguisher have been summed up for easy recall. PASS which stands for pull, aim, squeeze, and sweep is the acronym coined after a careful consideration of instructions found in various fire extinguishers.

Remember PASS in case of fire.
- P – Pull the pin.
- A – Aim at the base of the fire.
- S – Squeeze the top lever.
- S – Sweep back and forth towards the fire

You should stand several feet from the fire before squeezing the lever. Once the lever is depressed, aim at the base of the fire and sweep form side to side until the fire is out. There have been a number of cases when fire reignites after being put out, you should refrain from walking on an area where fire has just been put out. You should take the necessary precaution when using carbon dioxide extinguishers. Its metal parts are usually dangerously cold, follow the instruction carefully or have someone show you how to use it.

There are other equally important reminders to reckon with when fighting a fire besides PASS. First and foremost, fire fighting is better left to professionals. Using the fight extinguisher is only advisable when the situation will not in any way put you in peril. Use extinguishers when the fire is small and contained. Likewise, you should only attempt to fight a fire when the fire alarm has been activated and the fire department is being contacted. It is also very important that the exit is clear for an easy way out when the situation worsen. Lastly, you need to have the right extinguisher for the type of fire you need to extinguish.

The cardinal rule in any emergency situation is not to let yourself get harmed least you become a casualty yourself. The next best thing to do is to help any person in immediate danger to safety. It also necessary to contact the fire department immediately because fires spread fast as the temperature within the vicinity increases. Moreover, fire extinguishers are designed to fight fires at its early stage.

Fighting a fire effectively is a concerted effort that involves not only the fire fighters themselves but most specially those who are caught at the scene or at the crossfire so to speak. You can choose to be a victim or be the savior. Who has the right fire extinguisher wins.

All fire extinguishers are required to be supplied with some basic operating instructions already on them.

There are a range of fire extinguishers available which offer assistance in controlling the risk of fire. In the United Kingdom, all workplaces are required to provide and maintain this fire equipment in their premises to safeguard fire safety and prevention in the country. Probably, one of the most commonly seen extinguishers in work areas and homes is the CO2 fire extinguisher. This model can be distinguished by its red casing that comes with a black panel to indicate that it contains carbon dioxide. In using this type of extinguisher, you initially need to be learn what type of fires it is specifically intended for and how to properly use it in the most efficient manner.

A carbon dioxide extinguisher can probably work on most fires. These include fires that originate from flammable liquids and gases in addition with fires that are caused by electricity. Flammable liquids will usually comprise of grease, fats, oil, paint and petrol. On the other hand, gases that can cause fires include propane, methane and propylene. This substance doesn’t usually work well with Class A fires which include combustible materials such as plastic, cardboard and wood as they are not able to displace enough oxygen which is necessary for the fire to be put out. These models are also not suitable to be used for fires from flammable metals as it cannot put out the fire but actually increase the rate of reaction.

CO2 extinguisher contains a liquid substance and is highly pressurized. The pressure is so intense that once it is sprayed into the air, the liquid can convert into a dry mist or ice that can shoot out the nozzle which covers the fire.

If you are already able to distinguish the type of fire to extinguish and need this type of extinguisher to put it out, you need follow these steps:

o You can start by aiming for the base of the flames where the burning material is.
o Pull out the plastic tag to release the trigger.
o Position the discharge horn in a right angle with the use of your body and support it well. Remember that you should not hold the horn with your hand as it may get cold and frozen in place while you are handling the case.
o If you are unable to put out the fire, do not take your chances and leave immediately and contact the proper authorities.

There are various types of fire extinguishers that are purposely designed to combat different classes of fires. With this fact, it is important that an individual is well-informed on how each of these types of extinguishers are distinctively used to ensure that it is utilized properly and effectively to prevent further mistakes that can lead to a destructive outcome brought about by a fire breakout. This also holds true for the use of a CO2 fire extinguisher. The more informed you are on how to use it properly; the better your chances are of saving your life.