Portable fire extinguishers can provide years of reliable protection. They are must have firefighting equipment in our homes, offices, workplaces and facilities. They are used to fight fires in their early stages.

The fire extinguishers should be placed at strategic locations and in exits near a doorways.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Each of the fire extinguishers is suited to fight a specific fire in the classes of fires. The Dry Powder types are the multipurpose types of fire extinguishers.

The types of fire extinguishers are listed below:

• Water fire extinguishers.
• Foam fire extinguishers.
• Dry Powder fire extinguishers.
• M28/L2 Powder fire extinguishers.
• C02 fire extinguishers.
• Wet Chemical fire extinguishers.

Colour of Labels on Fire Extinguishers

Water fire extinguishers are labeled in Red colour.

Foam fire extinguishers are labeled in Cream colour.

Dry Powder fire extinguishers are labeled in Blue colour.

M28/L2 Powder fire extinguishers are labeled in Blue colour.

C02 fire extinguishers are labeled in Black colour.

Wet Chemical fire extinguishers are labeled in Yellow colour.

How To Operate A Fire Extinguisher

the steps involved in operating a fire extinguisher (given as the acronym PASS) are:

1. Pull the pin. This also breaks the tamper seal.
2. Aim nozzle at the base of the flame.
3. Squeeze the handles.
4. Sweep back and forth, covering the entire fire areas.

Right Fire Extinguishers For Each Class of Fires

Each fire extinguisher is suitable to tackle a specific class of fire.

The right fire extinguishers to tackle Class A fires are:

• Water,
• Foam,
• Dry Powder,
• Wet Chemical fire extinguishers.

The right fire extinguishers to tackle Class B fires are:

• Foam,
• Dry Powder,
• CO2 fire extinguishers.

The right fire extinguishers to tackle Class C fires are:

• Dry Powder fire extinguishers.

The right fire extinguishers to tackle Class D fires are:

• M28/L2

The right fire extinguishers to tackle Electrical fires are:

• Dry Powder,
• CO2 fire extinguishers.

The right fire extinguishers to tackle Class F fires are:

• Wet Chemical fire extinguishers.

Signs of Defects of Fire Extinguishers

Regular inspection of the fire extinguishers will help in detecting early signs of defects. The following are signs of defects:

• Corrosion.
• Rust.
• Crack on the hose or nozzle.
• Broken, missing or wobbly handle.
• Broken tamper seal.
• Missing or unsealed pin.
• Dented cylinder.

Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Tips

A proper and regular maintenance will preserve the useful lives of the fire extinguishers. The following tips will help in maintaining them:

• Store the fire extinguishers under shade to avoid frequent exposure to sun, rain which can cause corrosion, rust, and deterioration.
• Check the fire extinguishers for any sign of defects.
• Check the pressure gauge at the top and ensure the needle is within the green area, if otherwise, then take your fire extinguishers for servicing. Older version of fire extinguishers don’t have the gauges.

Fire extinguishers are tested hydrostatically. Hydrostatic testing is a method whereby a fire extinguisher is filled with liquid and subjected to high pressure to check the integrity of its critical components such as the shell, cylinder, hose, etc. to determine whether the fire extinguisher has any leaks or structural flaws.