Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher?

Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? We'll teach you how to use different types of fire extinguishers!

Fire Extinguisher Basics

Every household should have a residential fire extinguisher. Do you know the steps and precautions for using a fire extinguisher when you encounter a real fire? Improper operations of a fire extinguisher might not only fail to extinguish the fire but also cause the fire to intensify!

Where to buy a fire extinguisher?Don't worry! Cheng Deh Fire Protection has thoughtfully organized the instructions for “indoor fire hydrants” and “fire extinguishers”. After reading this article, take a look at the fire extinguisher in your home and try to practice once!

The mnemonic for using a fire extinguisher is— “Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep.”

The mnemonics for using a fire extinguisher have been changed from the past “Pull, Pull, and Squeeze” to “Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep” by the National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior! Although the methods of using different types of fire extinguishers are slightly different, the main operating steps are similar! The most common type of fire extinguisher in daily life is the “dry powder fire extinguisher.” Thus, understanding the following key points of using a fire extinguisher and the method of using a dry powder fire extinguisher is very important!

Pull (the safety pin):Pick up the extinguisher; “rotate and pull out” the safety pin.
Aim (at the fire):Hold the hose nozzle and aim it at the base of the fire.
Squeeze (the handle):Firmly squeeze the handle (all the way down) and spray 2-3 centimeters above the root of the fire.
Sweep (spray on the left and right sides of the fire):Spray from side to side and continue monitoring until you confirm the fire is extinguished.

As long as you grasp these key points for using a fire extinguisher, you will be able to calmly recall the mnemonics and operate the extinguisher in the chaos of a fire, potentially saving your lives and other people’s lives.

extinguisher manufacturers

The distance for using a fire extinguisher is 1 to 3 meters.

Generally speaking, the effective distance of a fire extinguisher is 10 to 15 meters. Therefore, when extinguishing a fire, the user's position should be 1 to 3 meters away from the fire source and be upwind so that the sprayed agent does not fall on oneself. But in the case of a foam extinguisher, the user's position should be 5 to 10 meters away from the fire source.

The duration for using a fire extinguisher should be around 10 seconds for safety.

Types of Fire Extinguishers	Spraying time
Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher	10-60 seconds
Eco-Wet Fire Extinguishers	22-60 seconds
Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguisher	8-35 seconds
Gas Fire Extinguisher	8-70 seconds
Foam Fire Extinguisher	30-80 seconds

*The spraying time depends on the type of fire extinguisher and the amount of agent.

Fire extinguisher types and uses

The dry powder fire extinguisher is the most common type of fire extinguisher. Therefore, in addition to understanding how to use a dry powder fire extinguisher, you should also pay attention to its spraying time!

The extinguisher’s pressure will decrease when it is almost empty. If the fire extinguisher (especially in the case of a typical household fire extinguisher) is almost empty and the fire has not been extinguished yet, please evacuate from the scene as quickly as possible. For example, a Model 10 extinguisher, regardless of its agent type, usually has a continuous spray time of about 10 seconds. Many people would wonder how it is possible to extinguish a fire in such a short time. This is why fire extinguishers are only suitable for putting out initial fires. If the fire is too severe, one must immediately evacuate.

The new generation “Eco-Neut Fire Extinguishers,”which is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and highly effective, is the top recommendation for fire extinguishers by Cheng Deh Fire Protection! A typical 1-liter residential Eco-Wet fire extinguisher has a spray time of about 22 seconds; a 3-liter commercial Eco-Wet fire extinguisher has a spray time of 40 seconds and above with significant effects and no re-ignition. Check out the fire extinguishing power of the Eco-Neut fire extinguishers!

Fire Extinguisher Safety Tips

● One must pay attention to the direction when using a fire extinguisher to avoid spraying on oneself. The common chemical of fire extinguishers on the market is ABC dry powder (ammonium dihydrogen phosphate), which is corrosive. It may cause blindness if sprayed on the eyes and burns if sprayed on other parts. The new generation Eco-Wet fire extinguisher is environmentally friendly and non-toxic, making it a new choice for safe fire extinguishing, benefiting both the environment and humans.
● When using a fire extinguisher, one should be in an upwind position.
● Double-check whether the pointer of the pressure gauge for the fire extinguisher is in the green range.
● Suitable fire types: Choose the appropriate fire extinguisher depending on the situation at hand. For example, a foam extinguisher should not be used for electrical fires.

Type		Substances causing the fire	Example	How to put out the fire
Class A Fires	Ordinary Combustible Fires	Ordinary Combustibles	Fires caused by wood products, paper fibers, cotton, cloth, synthetic resins, rubber, plastics, etc.	The fire can be extinguished by using water or a water solution to lower the temperature of the burning material.
Class B Fires	Flammable Liquid Fires	Flammable Liquids	Fires caused by petroleum, flammable gases, such as ethane and acetylene, or flammable fats like paints, etc.	The fire can be effectively extinguished by cutting off the oxygen supply and smothering the fire. Additionally, removing the combustible material or reducing its temperature can also extinguish the fire.
Class C Fires	Electrical Fires	Involving energized electrical equipment	Fires caused by electrical appliances, power adapters, wires, distribution panels, etc.	The fire can sometimes be controlled with non-conductive extinguishing agents, but it would be more appropriate to cut off the power and then extinguish the fire as a Class A or B fire, depending on the situation.
Class D Fires	Metal Fires	Reactive Metals	Fires caused by the burning of reactive metals like magnesium, potassium, lithium, zirconium, titanium, or other water-forbidden substances.	These substances burn at very high temperatures. Only specific extinguishing agents that control these combustible metals can effectively extinguish the fire (indicated by signs to use for a specific metal).

● Effective Range: The effective range of a typical fire extinguisher is about 5 meters. It must be used within this range for maximum effect.
● Spray Duration: The effective spray duration of a typical fire extinguisher is approximately 10 to 15 seconds.
● Be sure to hold the handle part when using a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher to avoid frostbite.
● A dry powder fire extinguisher must be followed by water, especially for paper, plastic, etc., to cool down the burning material because dry powder does not have a cooling effect.
● Once a dry powder fire extinguisher has been used, it needs to be completely emptied. Otherwise, the powder will accumulate in the spray tube, come into contact with the moisture in the air, and eventually form clumps, becoming unusable even if the agent is still within its validity period.

Eco-Wet Fire Extinguisher vs. Various Fire Extinguishers: Environmental Impact and Risk

		Eco-Wet Fire Extinguishers	Foam Fire Extinguisher	Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher	CO2 Fire Extinguisher	Water Fire Extinguisher
Environmental Risks	Environmental Pollution	N/A	Sometimes Yes	Mostly Yes	Yes	N/A
Health Risks	Cancer-causing Risks	N/A	Sometimes Yes	Mostly Yes		N/A
	Respiratory Hazards	N/A		Yes		N/A
	Suffocation/Frostbite	N/A			Yes	N/A
	Conductivity/Electric Shock	N/A	Yes			N/A
Toxic Substances	Crystalline Silica	N/A		Mostly Yes		N/A
	PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid	N/A	Sometimes Yes			N/A
	PFOA Perfluorooctanoic Acid	N/A	Sometimes Yes			N/A

Eco-Wet Fire Extinguisher vs. Various Fire Extinguishers: Fire Extinguishing Performance

		Eco-Wet Fire Extinguishers	Foam Fire Extinguisher	Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher	CO2 Fire Extinguisher	Water Fire Extinguisher
Before/During/After Fire Extinguishing	Fire Extinguishing Principle	Penetrating Fire Extinguishing	Cooling/Isolating Fire Extinguishing	Covering Fire Extinguishing Chemical Interruption	Smothering Fire Extinguishing	Cooling Fire Extinguishing
	Advantages	Best fire extinguishing performance No re-ignition Easy to clean	Easy to clean		No cleaning required	No re-ignition Easy to clean
	Disadvantages		Easy to reignite Shorter range	Easy to reignite Block line of sight Difficult to clean Become strongly alkaline and corrosive when it comes into contact with water	Easy to suffocate; gas can be diluted by the environment; may not be able to extinguish the fire in open areas	Lower fire-extinguishing performance rating
Types of fires that can be extinguished	Class A Ordinary Combustible Fires	O	O	O	X	O
	Class B Flammable Liquid Fires	O	O	O	O	X
	Class C Electrical Fires	O	X	O	O	O

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