Fire Extinguishing Equipment For Different Types Of Fires

There is a great deal of equipment meant to extinguish fires of every sort in the UK. Listing them and their specific uses is the best means of explaining each piece. As usual, one must be trained on the use of each type of equipment and
the fire brigade must be called for each fire.

Water Fire Extinguishers are good for tackling fires involving burning paper, wood and soft furnishings Class A fires, as the water soaks into the materials and cools them, while extinguishing the fire. This type of extinguisher does not contain harmful chemicals, but has a low fire fighting rating. Due to this, water fire extinguishers are usually large and heavy to overcome their lack in fire fighting power.

It is also important to remember that water is an electrolyte and conducts electricity. Care must therefore be taken with regards to accidental use on exposed power cables. However, both the weight and the conductivity problems can be overcome by using water extinguishers with environmentally-friendly additives. Water extinguishers with additives have a higher fire fighting rating which, therefore, allows the use of smaller and lighter extinguishers. Neither do they conduct electricity. As they are mostly free of harmful substances, water fire extinguishers are especially suitable in households where children have access to the extinguishers and an accidental discharge is possible.

Foam Fire Extinguishers also called AFFF FOAM Aqueous Film Forming Foam. Create a smothering film of foam over the fire, which starves the fire of oxygen. The foam also penetrates porous materials and cools the fire through evaporation of the water content in the foam. As the foam creates a foam carpet on burning liquids like petrol, foam extinguishers are particularly suitable for flammable liquids and areas where manmade fibres in soft furnishings and carpets might liquidise under the influence of heat.

Foam extinguishers are safe for use with electrical equipment, although the electrical equipment will be seriously damaged by the liquid. This type of extinguisher usually contains powerful additives which are often carcinogenic, making the cleaning process of the premises after the event of a fire more problematic.

Powder Fire Extinguishers, also called ABC powder extinguishers or dry powder extinguishers, are suitable for fighting class A, B and C fires. ABC powder extinguishers have a very good fire fighting capacity, but the powder does not soak into materials and does not have a good cooling effect on the fire. This can result in the fire re-igniting, if it is not properly extinguished. Care must be taken when using powder extinguishers, that you do not inhale the powder.

Powder extinguishers should therefore not be used in small, confined spaces where there is a risk of inhaling the powder. The clean up after applying a powder extinguisher is very difficult and the powder causes damage to soft furnishing, carpets and computer drives etc. So a careful balance has to be struck between the generally quite cheap but powerful powder extinguishers and the cleaner, but less powerful and sometimes more expensive foam/water with additive extinguishers.

For a household be careful not to buy just BC rated powder fire extinguishers, as they generally are not suitable for burning solids. BC rated powder extinguishers however, can be used for cars.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers are especially designed for use on kitchen fires involving burning oil and deep fat fryers Class F fires. These extinguishers come with a special, long application lance which allows you to safely lay a cooling layer of foam on top of the burning oil. They can also be used on Class A fires, although their fire fighting power for general risks is not very strong.

Alternatively, a kitemarked fire blanket can be placed over the pan containing the burning oil/fat. The pan should then be left to cool down. NEVER carry the pan outside or lift the fire blanket after a short period of time to inspect the burning oil, as the introduction of oxygen through this action can reignite the fire.

NEVER use pressurised water, powder, CO2 or foam extinguishers on fires involving burning fat, as the pressurised jet can cause the burning oil to be carried out of the pan, onto surrounding surfaces, causing more damage and a larger fire to tackle.

Fire Blankets are very good to have in the home or car in order to smother a small fire or to remove people from a burning home. The blanket is stored in its own container on the wall near the fire extinguisher for the best placement. Pull on the two tabs hanging down and the blanket will release. Wrap or cover the person or yourself in the blanket to exit the house when the flames are evident. Have one handy in the car in case of fire, along with a small extinguisher meant for vehicles.

Fire Escape Ladders are essential in a two or three-storey building or home. Ideally, it would be kept in an upstairs bedroom which is centrally located and already attached to the window sill. All members of the family would know to go to that bedroom in the event of a fire, push the ladder out and over the sill, and begin to climb down and out of harms way.