How to use a fire extinguisher: Ensure safety in all fire situations.

Many people know that when there is a fire, you must use fire extinguishers to put it out. However, not everyone knows how to use a fire extinguisher safely and properly.

Understanding people’s psychology, in this article, Bao Tin Steel will give specific instructions on how to use fire extinguishers properly and easily. In just 10 minutes of reading, you will equip yourself with good and useful knowledge about fire prevention and fighting.

Instructions on how to use CO2 fire extinguishers and powder extinguishers in detail

There are three common fire extinguishers: powder fire extinguishers, CO2 gas extinguishers, and foam extinguishers. Depending on the needs and purposes of use, we can choose an appropriate product to ensure the safety of life and property when a fire or explosion occurs.

Right below, Bao Tin Steel will guide you on how to use a fire extinguisher effectively and safely.

1. How do I use a powder fire extinguisher?

There are two basic fire extinguishers on the market today: portable and with carts. Right below, Bao Tin Steel will describe in detail how to use it.

How to Use Portable Fire Extinguishers

What do we need to do first when using a fire extinguisher?

Step 1: Look at the pressure gauge.

To use a powder fire extinguisher, you must first look at the pressure gauge.

• Blue is enough compressed air pressure to push the powder out.
• There is not enough compressed air pressure to push the powder out.
• The yellow color indicates that the compressed air pressure in the tank has exceeded the allowable level.

Step 2: Shake the bottle.

Why do you have to shake the bottle before using it? Because the upper part is nitrogen gas (N2), the lower part is dry powder. Dry powder left for a long time will become lumpy. Therefore, before using it, you need to shake it to dissolve the powder inside.

The dominant hand holds the speculum, and the other hand holds the bottom of the jar. Then, shake the jar 3-5 times.

– Step 3: Remove the safety pin

When performing this step of removing the safety pin, be careful not to hold the speculum. Because this is the latch-lock phenomenon.

Remove the safety pin by:

• The non-dominant hand holds the neck of the vase.
• The strongest finger (the dominant hand) will be placed on the safety latch and then yanked out.

Below is a video showing how to remove the safety pin.

– Step 4: Conduct firefighting.

• Hold the hand close to the spray speaker head (2–3 cm from the spray speaker head).

-> Note: Do not hold the nozzle or the nozzle head. Because when the pressure is squeezed out, the nozzle will rotate into an O shape, making firefighting ineffective.

• Hand holding the spray speaker facing the center of the fire, standing 1.5–2 m away from the fire.
• Then, squeeze the speculum until the fire is extinguished, then let go.

How to Use a Trolley Fire Extinguisher

• Step 1: Push the car to the fire area and pull out the powder roller nozzle.
• Step 2: Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
• Step 3: Pull the safety latch and pull the main valve on the mouth of the fire extinguisher perpendicular to the ground.
• Finally, hold the spray nozzle tightly and choose the direction of the wind to pull the trigger. The powder will spray out to isolate air and oxygen from the burning substance. Note that spraying covers the surface of the flammable substance.

2. How to Use a CO2 Fire Extinguisher

Using a CO2 fire extinguisher will be simpler than using a powder extinguisher because the CO2 extinguisher does not have a pressure gauge and does not need to be shaken before use.

How to use CO2 gas cylinders to extinguish fires

– Step 1: Raise the nozzle 90 degrees.

– Step 2: Remove the safety pin.

Place your left hand on the neck of the bottle, the other hand (the strongest finger) on the safety latch, and then pull it out.

– Step 3: Proceed to extinguish the fire.

The dominant hand holds the speculum, and the other hand holds the bottom of the fire extinguisher. Point the speaker at the center of the fire, stand 1.5–2 meters away from the fire, then squeeze the speculum until the fire goes out before letting go.

=> You may not know that CO2 cylinders are simpler to use than powder cylinders because they do not have a pressure gauge. And there’s no need to shake it before use because it’s in gas form. However, when using CO2 cylinders, the danger is higher than with powder cylinders. For this reason, when using a CO2 fire extinguisher, you need to note the following:

Things to pay attention to when using and storing CO2 cylinders

• Do not use CO2 cylinders to spray directly on your body. Because that will cause frostbite (more dangerous than ectopic).
• Do not use CO2 fire extinguishers to fight all types of fires: molten metal, coke fires, etc., because it will cause a chemical reaction that produces very toxic CO gas.
• Do not use CO2 gas cylinders in outdoor fires with strong winds.
• When fighting fires on objects connected to high-voltage power sources, you must wear insulated boots and gloves and always ensure your safety.

Understanding the importance of fire prevention in general and how to use fire extinguishers, propaganda work to build the fire prevention movement for all people takes place in many specific places:

• Propaganda about fire prevention and fighting in holy wars (by Hai Phong City Police Electronic Information Portal).
• Training and fostering knowledge of fire prevention and rescue for officers of the Ho Chi Minh City Women’s Union (of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department, Fire Prevention, Fighting, and Rescue Police Department)

3. How to Use a Portable Foam Fire Extinguisher

– Step 1: Look at the pressure gauge

• The tank has a blue pressure gauge, so the pressure is good.
• If it moves past yellow, there is excess pressure.
• If it crosses the red line, the fire extinguishers have weak pressure and cannot extinguish fires.

–Step 2: Shake the bottle.

The dominant hand holds the speculum, and the other hand holds the bottom of the bottle. Then, shake the bottle 3–5 times.

– Step 3: Remove the safety pin

The non-dominant hand holds the neck of the vase. The strongest finger (the dominant hand) will be placed on the safety latch and then yanked out.

– Step 4: Conduct firefighting

The dominant hand holds the speculum, and the other hand holds the bottom of the jar. Point the nozzle at the fire, squeeze the speculum until the fire goes out, then let go.

Note that foam fire extinguishers are used differently depending on each fire.

• Flammable solid. You can spray firefighting foam into the center of the fire.
• Flammable liquid. You would not spray foam directly onto a fire because it could spread the liquid to nearby surfaces.
• For electrical fires. You can handle it similarly to flammable solids.

Common types of fire extinguishers

The number of fires and explosions across the country in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular is on the rise. The main cause is due to electrical problems, etc., especially due to people’s level of knowledge and self-consciousness in implementing fire prevention. For this reason, propaganda about fire prevention and fighting receives more attention.

One of the fire handling skills that you need to pay attention to is the classification and how to use each fire extinguisher.

Commonly used fire extinguishers are mainly divided into 3 types according to the fire extinguishing agent: dry powder, gas, and foam. Each type will have a different structure and operating principle. Read on to learn more about each bottle in detail.

1. BC/ABC powder fire extinguisher

What is a portable fire extinguisher?

“A dry powder fire extinguisher is a tank containing a fire extinguishing agent inside in the form of dry powder, extremely high pressure, and compactly designed. The product is suitable for use in offices, households, apartments, public buildings, etc.

– Structure of BC/ABC fire extinguisher powder

The bottle has a vertical cylindrical structure, the shell is cast in steel, and it is usually electrostatically painted in the common red color in Vietnam. The internal composition contains fire-resistant synthetic dry powder, and the propellant gas is compressed directly inside the tank. The top of the tank mouth has an exhaust valve assembly with a valve lock and pressure gauge. The nozzle and spray speaker are attached to the exhaust valve assembly.

=> Refer to the product “ABC MFZL8 fire extinguisher” distributed at Bao Tin Steel.

– Decode the symbols written on the bottle.

When should I use fire extinguisher powder?

Powder fire extinguishers are often used with symbols such as ABC MFZ4, ABC MFZN8, or BC MFZ2, BC MFZ4, and BC MFZN8. So what do these symbols mean?

The letters A, B, C represent the ability to extinguish different flammable substances, specifically:

• A: Treat flammable solid fires such as wood, cotton, fabric, fiber, etc.
• B: Treat liquid fires such as gasoline, alcohol, etc.
• Treat gas fires, such as gas, etc.

The symbols MFZ or MFZL are portable fire extinguishers. The symbol MFT or MFTZL is a trolley-type fire extinguisher.

“2, 4, 8” written immediately after is the weight of powder loaded in the fire extinguishers. Units are in kilograms.

Features, effects, and operating principles of fire extinguishers

– Features and effects of fire extinguisher powder

If the extinguisher says ABC, it means “the fire extinguisher can extinguish 3 types of fire: solid, liquid, and gas.” The tank labeled BC means “the tank can extinguish two types of fire: liquid and gas.”.

-> The powder bottle is not dangerous for the skin and is electrically insulating.

– The operating principle of a powder fire extinguisher

What should you do when using a fire extinguisher to extinguish a fire?

The mechanism of action of powder fire extinguishers is based on eliminating one of three elements necessary for fire: heat, combustibles, and air oxygen.

When the valve is opened, dry powder will be sprayed out thanks to the force of compressed air. Fire extinguishing powder will then be sprayed onto the fire to isolate oxygen from the burning material. When the dry powder in the tank is sprayed onto the fire, it creates a layer of dust, thereby helping to prevent gas vapor from entering the fire area and extinguishing the fire.

2. CO2 gas fire extinguisher

What is a portable CO2 fire extinguisher?

“A CO2 fire extinguisher is a type of portable firefighting equipment that contains -79 degrees Celsius CO2 gas compressed at high pressure. This is a device used for firefighting in the beginning.”

CO2 fire extinguishers will have the symbol MT, or CO2.”

– Structure of a CO2 fire extinguisher

The tank has a vertical cylindrical structure; the shell is cast in steel and is usually electrostatically painted in the red color of fire prevention in Vietnam. The inside contains high-pressure compressed CO2 cold gas, so the shell of the bottle is very thick and heavy. The top of the tank mouth has an exhaust valve assembly with a valve lock. The nozzle and spray speaker are attached to the exhaust valve assembly.

Features, effects, and operating principles of CO2 fire extinguishers

– Features and effects of CO2 fire extinguishers

CO2 fire extinguishers are effective in extinguishing liquid fires (gasoline, oil, etc.), gases, and electrical equipment fires. Unlike powder fire extinguishers, CO2 fire extinguishers can quickly extinguish electrical equipment fires without damaging the electrical equipment.

– Principles of using CO2 fire extinguishers

The CO2 gas in the tank is sprayed out thanks to the force of compressed air. When CO2 gas is pushed out and cooled suddenly, it has the effect of inhibiting the combustion reaction. However, it will not completely extinguish, and there is a risk of re-ignition for solids.

What fires are CO2 fire extinguishers used to fight?

CO2 fire extinguishers are used to extinguish class A, B, C, and E fires. These are common types of fires encountered in everyday life, including those involving solids, liquids, gases, and electrical equipment. However, CO2 fire extinguishers should not be used to fight Class D fires, as they can cause serious harm.

3. Foam fire extinguisher

“The foam fire extinguisher is a type of fire extinguisher, a combination of water and film-forming foam. Inside the tank is a large volume of foam solution. This solution has a lower density than gasoline, oil, or water and can be used to extinguish substances A and B (solid-liquid) fires.

Currently, there are two main types of foam: foam AFFF and foam ARC.

This type of equipment is used to extinguish small fires that arise, such as:

• Class A fires Fight fires involving solid objects.
• Class B fire. Extinguish fires involving liquids.

Note that not all foam fire extinguishers are designed for use on electrical fires; they should only be used when the manufacturer allows it.

– Fire extinguishing mechanism of Foam foam extinguisher

The foam in the tank is sprayed out thanks to the force of compressed air pressure. The foam layer sprayed out has the effect of isolating the flammable substance from the oxygen in the air, thereby preventing it from re-igniting.

The purpose of a portable fire extinguisher is to inhibit the fire reaction. However, not everyone knows how to put out a fire effectively and safely or what type of extinguisher to use in which situations. Sometimes, when we use it the wrong way, it can make the fire worse.

Currently, Bao Tin Steel has high-quality fire extinguishers available. Interested customers, please call the hotline at 0932 059 176 or 0767 555 77 or fill out the form below:

When using a fire extinguisher to extinguish a fire, it is necessary

• Read the instructions carefully and clearly understand the functional features of each type of extinguisher to arrange fires appropriately.
• When spraying, stand upwind if the fire is outside or near the door if the fire is inside.
• When spraying, continue until the flame is completely extinguished before stopping spraying.
• When extinguishing liquid fires, spray to cover the burning surface and avoid spraying directly onto the liquid to avoid splashing out and making the fire larger.
• Used fire extinguishers should be kept separate to avoid confusion.
• When spraying, keep the can in an upright position.

The above tips will help you use fire extinguishers effectively and safely.

Note: When checking and preserving fire extinguishers

Here are some things to note when checking and preserving portable fire extinguishers:

• Place the fire extinguisher in a dry place, and avoid places with strong heat radiation and sunlight (the highest temperature is 50 degrees Celsius).
• If you keep the fire extinguisher outside the house, the place where it is placed must be covered.
• Regularly check fire extinguishers according to the manufacturer’s regulations, or at least every 3 months.
• If you open the bottle and hear a hissing sound, immediately stop and check.

How to recognize an expired fire extinguisher:

• For powder fire extinguishers, there will be a gauge showing the pressure. If the gauge shows a red line, it means it’s almost empty.
• For CO2 gas fire extinguishers, whether the gas runs out or remains depends on the weight of the fire extinguishers

How are powder and CO2 fire extinguishers different?

Right now, Bao Tin Steel will show you a simple way to distinguish between a dry powder portable fire extinguisher and a CO2 portable fire extinguisher.

Distinguish between dry powder fire extinguishers and CO2 fire extinguishers.

The simple and accurate way to distinguish between powder cylinders and CO2 cylinders is:

• The powder fire extinguishers will have a pressure gauge in the neck of the fire extinguishers.
• In contrast, a CO2 fire extinguisher will not have a pressure gauge in the neck of the fire extinguisher..

Method 2: Distinguish through spray nozzle

• The powder fire extinguisher has a soft, small spray nozzle.
• The CO2 fire extinguisher has a large, hard spray nozzle.

Method 3: Distinguish the labeling on the fire extinguisher.

In addition to the above two ways, you can also distinguish by the English label written on the bottle, specifically:

• On the English label of a powder tank, the words BC Powder, ABC Powder, and AB Powder are often written (fire extinguishing powder type BC, type ABC, and type AB).
• On the English label of CO2 cylinders, there is usually the word carbon dioxide (CO2 Carbon dioxide/CO2).

It is necessary to consult before using a fire extinguisher correctly. Because when you know how to use it, when you encounter a fire situation, you will be less confused.

Above are instructions on how to use a fire extinguisher, which each person needs to fully decorate to have flexible and quick reflexes to handle situations when a fire occurs.

Bao Tin Steel is an importer and distributor of quality, reputable, and competitively priced fire protection equipment compared to the market, such as CO2 fire extinguishers, fire powder extinguishers, fire cabinets, and fire nozzles. If you need advice or want to buy a fire extinguisher at a good price, please contact Hotline at 0932 059 176 for the most accurate quote!

See now: Fire protection materials at Bao Tin Steel

Tiger Steel is a branch of Bao Tin Steel.