If there’s one piece of fire safety equipment that ranks alongside a fire alarm as one of the most vital of all, it is surely the fire extinguisher. Indeed, fire extinguishers are widely regarded as imperative pieces of equipment in ensuing that lives can be saved in the event of fire. But were you aware that there are actually various types of fire extinguisher, and that choosing the wrong one with which to combat a fire can actually make a bad situation worse?
It pays, then, to know of the various types of fire extinguisher, of which water fire extinguishers are just one. Water, of course, is one of the most effective fire-extinguishing agents, and by choosing a water fire extinguisher, you can both quell the flames and soak the burning materials in water, in the process cooling them down and preventing them from continuing to burn. It’s very important, however, to know that water extinguishers should only be used on Class A fires, or ordinary combustible fires… the kind of fires which involve such common materials as paper, fabrics, wood and furniture.
For other types of fire, you’ll need to call upon other types of fire extinguisher… such as foam extinguishers, which can be used on both Class A and Class B fires (flammable liquids), where the foam has the effect of flowing over the surface of the fire and smothering it. Foam has even better fire extinguishing properties than water, in fact, which allows for equivalent foam extinguishers to be smaller and lighter. Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, meanwhile, are designed specifically to deal with Class B, C (flammable gases) and electrical fires.
Finally, a great choice of all-round fire alarm accompaniment is the dry powder fire extinguisher, although again, there are caveats – such as that they are not suitable for use in enclosed spaces such as offices and schools, not least given the breathing problems that their contents can cause.