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Fire Warden, Fire Extinguisher And First Attack Firefighting Training

Mastering Fire Safety: A Complete Guide to Fire Extinguishers

If you don’t have a fire extinguisher within reach, controlling a fire whenever it starts can be challenging. Fire can get out of control in less than 60 seconds.

The importance of understanding the different types of fire extinguishers in Australia cannot be overstated. There are several classes of fires, and it’s crucial to have the right type of extinguisher to deal with each kind of fire.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the different types of fire extinguishers in Australia and the classes of fires they are used to combat. We’ll also discuss how you can learn more about fire safety and the proper use of fire extinguishers.

Water-Fire Extinguisher: These fire extinguishers, identifiable by their all-red colour, are also known as an A fire extinguishers. The water extinguisher provides a cooling effect to the fire and is very good for class A fires. This type of fire extinguisher or fire hose reel is not suitable for any other class of fire.

Foam Fire Extinguisher: These are water-based fire extinguishers, and as such, they provide a cooling element to the fire. They also work by forming a thick foam layer over the top of the burning substance, like petrol, which stops the fire by cutting off access to oxygen. Foam extinguishers are easily identified by the blue band on their cylinders.

Dry Chemical Powder: This is the most versatile extinguisher and can fight most types of fires. This extinguisher is also known as an ABE or BE (be careful these are two different types of extinguishers, the BE version is ideal for class F fires but not great for Class A. ABE will fight class A, B, C and E) and is identifiable by the white band. A dry chemical extinguisher sprays a very fine powder of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3, baking soda), potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3, nearly identical to baking soda), or monoammonium phosphate ((NH4)H2PO4). These solids coat the fuel and smother the fire. These extinguishers are the most common type in Australia and come in various sizes depending on the environmental risk. The fire extinguisher’s dry chemicals can cause respiratory irritation if inhaled.

CO2 extinguishers: These types are filled with carbon dioxide (a non-conductive & non-corrosive gas). It is an extinguishing agent that removes the oxygen from the fire. The carbon dioxide is also very cold as it comes out of the extinguisher, so it also cools the fuel. These extinguishers are easily identifiable from the black band around the cylinder and will have a nozzle attached. These types are great for the class E fires, with some limited use for class A and B. Please note that the Co2 extinguisher can remove all the oxygen in the immediate environment near the fire, including the oxygen the user needs to live

It is NOT designed for use on a fire in a confined space as the user can suffocate and die from the CO2 in the canister, not the smoke inhalation from the fire. The user is also advised never to put their hand around the nozzle of the extinguisher as the cold from the CO2 can cause burns to the user’s skin. This extinguisher is designed to be held by the handle only when deploying it.

Wet Chemical: This type of extinguisher is filled with a chemical called potassium that can cool the fire once deployed. It sprays out a fine mist that covers the fire and cools and smothers the fire, breaking the chemical chain reaction of the fire. It is easily identifiable from the bone or oatmeal-coloured band around the cylinder. It is generally only used for class F fires, generally in a commercial kitchen. This extinguishing agent can also be utilised for a class A fire as well.

A negative aspect of this extinguisher is that it contains an alkalising agent that can eat away at parts of the kitchen, especially metals like aluminium. The agent can also cause skin and eye irritation for the user, so it is recommended that the user washes the wet chemical off their skin if there is any contact. This type of fire extinguisher should not be used on electrical appliances.

Fire Blankets are made of a woven fire retardant material, usually fibreglass. They are designed to be taken out and wrapped around a person on fire or over the top of a fire, like a stovetop fire, Class F, to smother it. Keeping the blanket in place for 15 to 35 minutes is recommended to reduce the risk of reignition. They are particularly good for class F fires but have limited use on class A and B fires.

The different types of Fires

Class A Fire: These fires involve ordinary combustibles such as paper, wood, plastic, and cloth. For these types of fires, a water fire extinguisher or fire hose reel is suitable.

Class B Fire: This type of fire involves flammable liquids such as petrol, oil, and chemicals. Foam extinguishers are ideal for these types of fires.

Class C Fire: These fires involve combustible gasses, such as natural gas in the home, propane, butane, and LPG.

Class D Fire: This type of fire involves flammable metals such as magnesium, aluminium, and sodium. For these types of fires, you need to use a specialist extinguisher. The above fire extinguishers are not able to stop the thermal runaway that some flammable metals, such as lithium-ion battery fires, can create. The current advice is to evacuate if a metal like a battery is on fire and call 000 for help.

Class E Fire: These fires involve electrical equipment such as servers, computers, and appliances. Extinguishers that work for these types of fires must be non-conductive. This means that water-based fire extinguishers are not suitable for this class of fire.

Class F Fire: These fires are caused by cooking oils or fats. It is not a good idea to add water to this type of fire as it can spread instantly and cause more damage quickly.

Due to the nature of the different classes of fire, it is essential to learn about fire safety and the proper use of the various fire extinguishers.

VR Technology fire and emergency training

Fortunately, there are courses that you can take to improve your knowledge in this field. If you choose to seek out RTS Training Group, our demonstrate first fire attack course is available. The student learns from a mix of online and face-to-face training. It also uses virtual technology to train in a real-world but safe environment. This course covers different aspects of fire safety and can give you hands-on training on the use of fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, and rescue techniques.

In conclusion, understanding the different types of fire extinguishers in Australia is essential to fire safety. Each extinguisher is designed to deal with a specific type of fire, and using the wrong type can have serious repercussions. Knowing what type of fire extinguisher to use in case of a fire can help prevent a minor incident from becoming a disaster.

Don’t just stop at reading this blog post; take the next step and enrol in a fire safety course to learn more about fire safety and how best to use fire extinguishers to potentially prevent injury and property damage during a fire.

 

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