Virginia ARES RACES

1
An Introduction to Fire Extinguishers

2
SOME COMMON FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS

• Ordinary
  combustibles
• Paper,
  wood, rubber, plastics and textiles.
• 
  Flammable liquids
• Oil,
  petrol, solvents
• Live
  Electrical equipment
  
• 
  equipment and computers

E
3
HOW THEY EXTINGUISH CLASS A FIRES

• Works by cooling.
• Use on paper, wood, rubber, plastic textile
  fires.

4
HOW THEY EXTINGUISH CLASS B FIRES

• Works by blanketing the fuel.
• Interrupts chemical reaction at fuel surface.
• Use on flammable liquids e.g. oil, gas, solvent
  fires

5
HOW THEY EXTINGUISH CLASS E FIRESuse on live
electrical equipment
E

• Works by displacing oxygen, smothering fire.
• Use on electrical equipment

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Portable Fire Extinguishers

• Can be CARRIED to a fire
• Weigh from 2kg to 13kg

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Portable Fire Extinguishers

• LIMITED IN
• Capacity - .5kg to 11kg approx of extinguishing
  agent
• Range - Typically 1m to 6m
• Duration - Discharge their contents in only 5 to
  45 seconds!

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Extinguisher Common features

• Safety pin (and plastic tamper tag)
• Carrying handle / operating lever
• Pressure gauge
• Label
• Type (Water, C02, Dry Chemical)
• Classification (A, B, E)
• Capacity Rating (in Kg)
• Instructions
• Discharge nozzle or horn

E
9
SOME COMMON TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

• WATER
• DRY CHEMICAL
• CO2

E
E
10
WATER

• Propellant compressed air or nitrogen
• ONLY for Class fires
• wood / paper, etc.

11
DRY CHEMICAL MULTI-PURPOSE RATED

Either
Or

E
E

• Best for general use
• Reduced risk of re-ignition
• A 4.5kg DCP unit can last upto 20s.
• Effective range of 2m to 6m

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C02 - Rated
E
E

• Best on burning liquids / electrical
• SHORT range 1m to 2m
• 2kg, 3.5kg and 5kg extinguishers available
• DISPERSES QUICKLY!
• Unit gets VERY cold - hold properly

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In case of burning odour or smoke

• Raise the alarm!
• Call Emergency Services 0 0 0 or 112 for mobile
  phones, First!
• Disconnect Equipment if safe to do so
• Remove combustibles, ONLY IF SAFE TO DO SO
• Notify Other Staff and Wardens

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RACE upon discovery of fire or smoke

• Remove persons in immediate danger!
• Alert others and Emergency Services
• Contain fire and smoke (close doors)
• Evacuate /or extinguish

15
Use a portable extinguisher ONLY if the

• Fire Service has been called (Dial 0 0 0 or 112
  mobiles)
• EXIT IS CLEAR (fight fire with your back to an
  exit )
• Proper extinguisher is at hand, and...
• You have been trained and know how to use it!
• If practicable

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Remember the PASS word1) Keep your back to
a clear escape route,2) Stand back 2m to 5m
from the fire,3) Then gtgt
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PULL the pin
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AIM

• LOW at the base of the fire

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SQUEEZE

• the lever

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SWEEP
from side to side (slowly)
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OK, Its outNow What?

• WATCH the fire area
• If the fire flares up again repeat!
• If you cant control the fire, LEAVE immediately!
• Recharge or replace any used fire extinguisher!

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The End
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Prepared by

• Deirdre Huppatz, Chief Fire Warden for Lower
  North District Office Staff
• Reviewed by FSI Fire Safety Training (A Division
  of Chubb Fire Australia) Unit 1, 49 Holland
  Street, Thebarton SA 5031 Telephone (08) 8443
  3733 Fax [phone] FFE Building Services
  ABN 4700 006 7541 www.chubb.com.au/training_fire.
  asp
• John Hisco, Project Officer Training, DECS
• October 2003