Fire Extinguishers
The first fire extinguisher was invented by a man in the United Kingdom in 1819. It consisted of a copper vessel holding three gallons of pearl ash with compressed air. The soda acid extinguisher was the next type. It surfaced in the late 19th century.
Fire extinguishers are a recommended safety product that everyone is encouraged to own. They can be helpful in the home, the car, your office, anywhere that a fire is possible. Fire extinguishers are not expensive. They are easy to store and very easy to use.
To use the fire extinguisher, pull the safety pin. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire. Squeezing the handle, quickly move the extinguisher from side to side. The pressure vessel on the trigger releases the fire controlling agent inside. However, a fire extinguisher does not mean you won’t need help to contain the fire. You need to evaluate the situation to decide if the extinguisher is going to be helpful or if you need to remove yourself from the area of the fire.
There are various types of agents inside fire extinguishers. The most common are water, foam, and dry powder, wet potassium salts, carbon dioxide, halons, fluorcarbons and phosphorus tribromide. It is important that you know what agent is in yours. If you use the wrong type of agent on a fire, it might make the fire worse rather than help it. If the agent in the extinguisher is water, do not use it on an oil fire or electrical fire. It can result in very serious injuries.
Fire extinguishers are generally red in color. They usually have pictures on them indicating the types of fires they can be used for. It is very important to routinely check your fire extinguishers to ensure they will work when you need them. Occasionally, a corroded fire extinguisher can explode when someone attempts to use it. This can result in serious injury or death. Most models should be replaced every 5 years as a precaution. New technology is being tested that will allow fire extinguishers to be checked electronically.
