Fire Extinguisher Basics

Mobile Fire goes over the basics of Fire Extinguisher use.

Celia Gonzalez putting out a fire the right way trained by Mobile Fire Extinguisher.

Every extinguisher should display one or more of the National Fire Protection Association fire symbols on its nameplate. Each symbol indicates a type of fire (fuel) on which the extinguisher may be safely and effectively used. A red slash through any of the fire symbols means you must NOT use the extinguisher on that class of fire.

The Fire Triangle

“The most important thing to learn in a fire emergency is how to use the fire extinguisher properly. It could be the difference between life and death.”

The fire triangle or combustion triangle is a simple model for understanding the ingredients necessary for most fires.

The Elements

The triangle illustrates a fire requires three elements: heat, fuel, and an oxidizing agent (usually oxygen). The fire is prevented or extinguished by removing any one of them. A fire naturally occurs when the elements are combined in the right mixture.

The fire tetrahedron is an addition to the fire triangle. It adds the requirement for the presence of the chemical reaction which is the process of fire.

For example, the suppression effect of Halon is due to its interference in the fire chemical inhibition.