KNOW YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

CHOOSE WISELY

How, then — you may well wonder — does one determine what's necessary for his or her household? Well, a multipurpose (ABC) extinguisher will likely be the best choice for most homes . . . but don't rely on just one unit. Instead, buy several, and make sure they've got enough capacity to offer real protection.

Several 10-pound pressurized extinguishers of the general-purpose type — a size that's easily managed by children or small-statured adults because of an overall 21-pound weight — would be your best main defense if placed at various locations around the house . . . and a 5-pound canister in the kitchen could serve to round things off. (Quite frankly, if you purchase anything smaller than a 5-pounder, you're being penny-wise and pound-foolish, since chances are it wouldn't have the capacity or discharge time to put out anything but a very minor flare-up. And many of the tiny canisters on the retail market use plastic heads, or — worse — are not rechargeable . . . which, of course, makes them useless after the first firing.)

All in all, it pays to equip your home to an effective level. Actually, for about $150 you can achieve the protection status we've described, and then go on to consider the purchase of specialized extinguishers for specific areas if you have the need. You might first want to check into the availability of used equipment, which will often sell for one-half to two-thirds the price of new apparatus. Either way, shelling out the cash for your extinguishers may hurt less if you remember that some insurance companies offer a discount for homeowners who outfit their dwellings with approved fire protection equipment and/or smoke alarms.

To make a really wise purchase, it's best to check with the people who sell and service the fire protection equipment used in your local commercial and industrial establishments. See what they have to offer, weigh their recommendations, and — if possible — find out how they service what they sell. (Remember, once an extinguisher's been used, it's only as good as the person who recharges it.) Also, be sure you know the refilling costs of each device and its effective life of charge . . . since both will result in additional expenses and thus might influence your decision.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

OK, so you've done your research, and you've bought several extinguishers that should be able to tackle the kind of fires most likely to occur in your home. Your next step is to place them in accessible locations and relax, right? Wrong. . . now's the time to take one outside, read its label thoroughly, and use it. If your local statutes allow you to do so, start a small trash or brush fire in a safe (this point can't be stressed too strongly) location, and then put it out by sweeping the discharge of the upright extinguisher across the base of the flames. (One reason an amateur user isn't as effective as a professional is that he or she tends to waste the extinguishing agent by directing it above the fuel that's actually feeding the fire.) Learn to handle your equipment well, because it may someday be the only thing between you and a real disaster.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print