Safety Tip – Fire Extinguishers in the Home

5/28/2018 (Permalink)

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and fire injuries. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that 3 out of 10 house fires start in the kitchen. It is recommended to keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen area.

You want to make sure it is a good size that it is large enough to handle a small fire in your home, but not so large that it is difficult to handle. You want to make sure it is a multi-purpose extinguisher that can handle almost any house fire situation. We recommend an ABC rated extinguisher. What does ABC mean?

• Class A: for ordinary combustible materials, paper, wood, and most plastics
• Class B: for flammable or combustible liquids
• Class C: for electrical equipment

If you don’t take a training course for operating a fire extinguisher, remember these few steps using the acronym PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep.

• Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism.
• Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
• Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.
• If the fire re-ignites, repeat the last 3 steps.

Now that you have your new fire extinguisher and know how to operate it, make sure to store it in a readily accessible area such as a kitchen cabinet. Remember, your fire extinguisher is a good first response to a fire in your home but be sure to call your local fire department and have a fire escape plan if the fire gets out of control.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage? Call Us Today – 562-506-4992