How
to operate a portable fire extinguisher
There are four basic steps to
operating a portable fire extinguisher.
An easy way to remember the procedure is to think of the
word PASS.
Pull the pin:
Holding the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you,
release the locking mechanism.
In most cases, this means pulling out the pin located below
the discharge lever.
Aim
low: Point the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire the
lowest point of the fire nearest you.
Extinguishers are designed to be operated in an upright
position. Always hold
the extinguisher vertically.
Never cradle it horizontally.
Squeeze:
Squeeze the discharge lever slowly and evenly.
This will release the extinguishing agent and expel it
through the nozzle.
Sweep
from side to side:
As the extinguishing agent is expelled, sweep the nozzle from side
to side driving the fire back.
As the fire closest to you goes out, you may move closer to
the fire and continue the sweeping motion until the fire is
extinguished. Remember,
hold the extinguisher upright.
If the fire does not go out immediately, get out of the
building.
After the fire appears to be extinguished, watch the fire area.
If the fire breaks out again, and you have not fully
discharged your extinguisher, repeat the process.
Keep in mind that the discharge time of a portable
extinguisher can be very short.
If you cannot extinguish the fire completely, leave the
area immediately and wait for the fire department to arrive.
PA recommends that when a small fire breaks out, someone calls the
fire department immediately.
You may not be able to put out the fire with your portable
extinguisher and waiting before calling the fire department would
waste valuable time. The
fire department should inspect all fires even after they have been
extinguished. Because
it is standard procedure for most fire departments to respond to
any call by dispatching a fully staffed fire truck to the scene,
some people might feel this step is unnecessary, but from the fire
departments point of view, it is better to prevent a small fire
from re-igniting than to deal with a full-blown fire emergency.
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