A home should at least have one portable fire extinguisher. Most home fires would not have worsened (to the extent of reducing a home to a smoldering ruin) if the owners only had a fire extinguisher. Fire extinguishers are a must in every home (especially the kitchen). Here are some tips on owning and using one.

• A fire extinguisher may contain different components that are used for different types of fires:
  • Class A: Fires caused by flammable materials like paper, wood, cardboard, and plastics.
  • Class B: Fires caused by flammable liquids (mostly petroleum) such as gasoline, grease and oil.
  • Class C: Fires caused by electrical equipment.
  • Class D: Fires caused by chemical metals like magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc…
• Fire extinguishers are also graded according to the type of fire. Water fire extinguishers are for Class A fires only. These shouldn’t be used for other classes especially for B and C fires.
• A multi-purpose extinguisher is made up of dry chemicals. These can be marked ABC meaning it’s effective for Classes A, B and C.
• Home fire extinguishers are only for small fires. Try to put it out only if you’ve called the fire department. In this case, if you aren’t able to extinguish the fire, the trucks are on their way.
• It’s always best to read the operation manual. But as a general rule, to operate the extinguisher just remember PASS:
• Pull the pin or releasing mechanism
• Aim the nozzle at the base of the flame
• Squeeze the handle to spray
• Sweep from side to side until the fire is out.
• Always check if the extinguisher’s properly charged. Disposable extinguishers are for one-time use only. Reusable extinguishers must be charged after every use.