3 Tips for Using a Fire Extinguisher

10/22/2021 (Permalink)

Small fires can be avoided by keeping a fire extinguisher on hand in your Charleston, TN, home.

3 Fire Extinguisher Useful Hints

Keeping a small fire extinguisher handy in your Charleston, TN, home can help you prevent small fires from raging out of control. You may already have one stored under your kitchen sink or in a cupboard. However, if you not prepared to use it, this tool cannot do you much good if a blaze breaks out. Learning how to use your extinguisher before there is an emergency can help you feel more confident about putting out an unexpected fire.

1. Have a Safe Escape Route

Before you try to fight a fire, it is important that you have an escape route in case the blaze re-ignites or grows despite your best efforts. For example, if you are trying to put out a kitchen fire, try to face it with your back toward the nearest exit so you can back away quickly if your extinguisher cannot handle the force of the fire. Trying to put out a fire with no escape route is hand can be foolhardy and put you at risk for serious injury.

2. Inspect the Safety Pin

Any fire extinguisher in your home should have an intact safety pin. This pin must be pulled before operating your unit, as it breaks the device’s safety seal as well as prevents the extinguisher from discharging without warning. You can replace a missing pin if necessary; however, you might want to ask the advice of your local fire station or a qualified fire damage and restoration company if it is safe or advisable to do so.

3. Sweep as You Spray

As you fight a fire, remember to move the extinguisher’s canister from side to side and aim for the fire’s base. This motion may help put the fire out more quickly. If the blaze reignites, sweep the base again.

Keeping a fire extinguisher handy in your Charleston, TN, home can prevent small fires from burning out of control. However, knowing how to use this fire-fighting tool beforehand can help you snuff out a blaze with confidence.