Fire extinguisher

Which Fire Extinguisher Should You Use

There are a variety of extinguishers that use different extinguishing agents depending on the TYPE OF FIRE . Would you know which type to use if a fire broke out

Water- Air Pressurized Water Extinguishers (APW) – These extinguishers use water as the main extinguishing agent, usually filled two thirds of the way with water. The other third is pressurized air. APW’s are ideal for Class A fires and extinguish the fire by “cooling the surface of the fuel to remove the heat element of the fire triangle.” According to OSHA, class A fires involve wood, paper, cloth, rubber, and certain plastics. FPT’s extinguisher manager, Rob Babcock, says an easy way to remember a Class A type fire is “Anything that is burnable that leaves an ash”

CO² or Dry Chemical – Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers – These extinguishers use CO² as the main extinguishing agent. The non-flammable gas is under extreme pressure, allowing it to cool the fire because pieces of dry ice shoot from the horn. The CO² works to displace the oxygen. According to OSHA, CO² extinguishers are designed for Class B and C (flammable liquid and electrical) fires

Multi Purpose- Dry Chemical Extinguisher – These extinguishers use ammonium phosphate to put the fire out by coating the fuel with a “layer of fire retardant powder, separating the fuel from the oxygen.” These are used for class A, B, and C fires

Class K – Wet Chemical Extinguishers for Kitchen Fires – A class K fire extinguisher is designed to be used in the case of a kitchen fire. According to OSHA,

“Due to the higher heating rates of vegetable oils in commercial cooking appliances  NFPA10, Portable Fire Extinguishers, now includes a Class K rating for kitchen fires extinguishers which are now required to be installed in all applicable restaurant kitchens. Once a fire starts in a deep fryer, it cannot always be extinguished by traditional range hoods or Class B extinguishers”

Class K extinguishers usually use potassium bicarbonate as an extinguishing agent. Furthermore, some Class K extinguishers spray a fine mist and are considered a Class K wet chemical extinguisher

Clean Agent/Halocarbon Based Extinguisher – These extinguishers are ideal for a computer room/IT room where no residue or water can be used. A HALOTRON 1 extinguisher “is a clean agent that leaves no residue after application, and consequently inflicts little to no collateral damage on equipment in the vicinity of the fire”

Class D Fire Extinguishers- These extinguishers are used for combustible metal fires. “Badger’s Class D Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher is ideal for addressing combustible metal fires involving metals like magnesium, sodium, potassium and sodium-potassium alloys”

Of course, many buildings require a variety of different types of fire extinguishers to satisfy the many emergency scenarios that could arise