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The first fire extinguisher was patented by chemist Ambrose Godfrey in 1723. Since then, many types of extinguishers have been invented, altered and developed. But one thing remains the same no matter the era — four elements must be present for a fire to exist. These elements include oxygen, heat, fuel and a chemical reaction. When you remove one of the four elements in the "fire triangle," the fire can then be extinguished. However, in order to successfully extinguish a fire, you must use the correct extinguisher. The most common types of fire extinguishers used on different types of fire fuels are: Water fire extinguisher: Water fire extinguishers douse fires by taking away the heat element of the fire triangle. They're used for Class A fires only. Dry chemical fire extinguisher: Dry chemical extinguishers extinguish the fire by interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire triangle. They're most effective on Class A, B and C fires. CO2 fire extinguisher: Carbon dioxide extinguishers take away the oxygen element of the fire triangle. They also remove the heat with a cold discharge. They can be used on Class B and C fires. And because all fires are fueled differently, there's a variety of extinguishers based on the fire type. Some extinguishers can be used on more than one class of fire, while others warn against the use of specific class extinguishers. Here's a breakdown of fire extinguishers classified by type: Fire extinguishers classified by type: What the fire extinguishers are used for: Class A fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving ordinary combustibles, such as wood, paper, cloth, trash and plastics. Class B fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline and oil. Class C fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving electrical equipment, such as motors, transformers and appliances. Class D fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving combustible metals, such as potassium, sodium, aluminum and magnesium. Class K fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving cooking oils and greases, such as animal and vegetable fats. It's important to remember that each fire requires a different extinguisher based on the circumstances. And if you're going to use an extinguisher, just remember PASS: pull the pin, aim the nozzle or hose at the base of the fire, squeeze the operating level to discharge the extinguishing agent and sweep the nozzle or hose from side to side until the fire is out.

Most people place as much importance on family fire safety as they do on rearranging their sock drawers. But when you consider that more than 80 percent of all fire deaths in the United States occur in residences, it just makes good sense to have your community take a few minutes to devise their home fire escape plan. Here are some things to consider as you work to promote family safety in your community. Overhead plans Meet groups in your community and have them map out an overhead plan of their homes on a piece of paper and draw in the walls that let them see a "birds eye" view of each room. If they have more than one floor, put each floor on a separate piece of paper. Have the families mark in the primary escape path for each room in the house, usually consisting of following the door out of a room and out the main door of the house. Then, have them make a secondary escape path, in case the primary path is blocked by heat, smoke and/or fire. This is usually a window out of each room. They need to make sure they open freely, and that the person who normally sleeps in bedrooms can easily open them. An outside meeting place is a necessity. Smoke alarms These are an inexpensive way to get an early warning in case there is smoke in their homes. There is a lot of talk about types of sensing technology, and we should suggest that they spend a bit more on smoke alarms that have "dual sensing technology," that includes both ionization and photoelectric sensing chambers. There should be a minimum of one smoke alarm per floor, with units outside of any sleeping area. Having more only increases their warning time, so they should avoid a few places prone to nuisance alarms such as bathrooms, kitchens and by fireplaces. Safety ladders For those in your audience who have family members who sleep upstairs, and slipping out a window onto the ground is not an option, they should purchase safety ladders. They are compact and fit nicely under a bed or in a closet until needed. They simply hook onto the window sill and can be descended from there. They are available in two- and three-story models, so measure how far from window to ground each homeowner needs and have them purchase the appropriate ladder. Fire extinguishers These make good sense to have in any home to extinguish small fires that may break out while citizens are close by. Most home fires start in the kitchen, so it makes great sense to keep one there. If they want to get a few more, the garage and basement are good places to keep them. Suggest they only purchase extinguishers rated for “A, B and C” type fires, as these cover any fire they may have in their home. Teach those in your class and have them pass on to the family how to use them, but ensure they never delay calling the fire department in order to use a portable fire extinguisher. You should stress to them that the most important part of any family safety plan is practicing the plan with all members of the family present. The hardest part is the few minutes needed to develop the plan, but you can present it as a fun, family assignment. The easy part is practicing it at least twice a year.

The first fire extinguisher was patented by chemist Ambrose Godfrey in 1723. Since then, many types of extinguishers have been invented, altered and developed. But one thing remains the same no matter the era — four elements must be present for a fire to exist. These elements include oxygen, heat, fuel and a chemical reaction. When you remove one of the four elements in the "fire triangle," the fire can then be extinguished. However, in order to successfully extinguish a fire, you must use the correct extinguisher. The most common types of fire extinguishers used on different types of fire fuels are: Water fire extinguisher: Water fire extinguishers douse fires by taking away the heat element of the fire triangle. They're used for Class A fires only. Dry chemical fire extinguisher: Dry chemical extinguishers extinguish the fire by interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire triangle. They're most effective on Class A, B and C fires. CO2 fire extinguisher: Carbon dioxide extinguishers take away the oxygen element of the fire triangle. They also remove the heat with a cold discharge. They can be used on Class B and C fires. And because all fires are fueled differently, there's a variety of extinguishers based on the fire type. Some extinguishers can be used on more than one class of fire, while others warn against the use of specific class extinguishers. Here's a breakdown of fire extinguishers classified by type: Fire extinguishers classified by type: What the fire extinguishers are used for: Class A fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving ordinary combustibles, such as wood, paper, cloth, trash and plastics. Class B fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline and oil. Class C fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving electrical equipment, such as motors, transformers and appliances. Class D fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving combustible metals, such as potassium, sodium, aluminum and magnesium. Class K fire extinguisher These extinguishers are used for fires involving cooking oils and greases, such as animal and vegetable fats. It's important to remember that each fire requires a different extinguisher based on the circumstances. And if you're going to use an extinguisher, just remember PASS: pull the pin, aim the nozzle or hose at the base of the fire, squeeze the operating level to discharge the extinguishing agent and sweep the nozzle or hose from side to side until the fire is out.

BY JACQUELINE R. WILMOT, P.E. Being raised by a volunteer firefighter, I was taught at a young age to always look for my 2nd exit, and when traveling to never to stay above the 4th floor because fire department ladders rarely reach above the fourth floor. It was also pretty “normal” for us to travel with a portable Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector. Why? Because CO poisoning incidents in hotels are not uncommon and regulations on CO detection differ significantly from state to state. While there are multiple sources which provide CO incident data, each organization contains its own methodology for collecting information and providing statistics; However, it is not clear what specific information is being collected, disseminated, and represented for each incident type. The Fire Protection Research Foundation recently published a report titled: “Carbon Monoxide Incidents: A Review of the Data Landscape” which reviews and presents the CO incident data landscape to clarify the sources of information, how the data is compiled and what the data represents. Additionally, the report identifies, summarized, and analyzes case studies of non-fire carbon monoxide incidents specific to commercial-type occupancies to provide a greater understanding to the NFPA technical committees responsible for NFPA 101, Life Safety Code ® and NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code ®. Be on the lookout for the Second Draft Reports from these committees in February of 2023 to see what changes have been made. A one-page summary of the Foundation report provides key takeaways. PS: If your CO detector is your in carry-on bag, be sure you can access it quickly while going through TSA security, as mine is always “inspected”! Important Notice: Any opinion expressed in this column (blog, article) is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services. TOPICS: Research, Building & Life Safety, Fire Protection Systems JACQUELINE R. WILMOT, P.E. Research Project Manager, Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of NFPA https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2022/11/08/Do-You-Travel-with-a-Portable-CO-Detector-If-not-you-should-and-heres-why

Mumbai, India - November 05, 2022: More than 10 shops gutted in fire at Fashion Street, a roadside apparel market near Churchgate, in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, November 05, 2022. As many as 12 shops were completely gutted after one of the stores at the Fashion Street, a popular roadside apparel market near Churchgate caught fire at 1pm on Saturday. No injuries were reported in the incident. The blaze quickly intensified and engulfed shops as well as a nearby BEST bus stop as a result of clothes catching fire, which were stored across the shops. A distressed retailer, who escaped from the fire, said, “My shop was completely gutted in the incident. I’m estimating a total loss of around ₹10 lakh. I will have to rebuild my entire shop.” In a press statement, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed that it was a level 1 fire and no life was lost in the incident. Assistant municipal commissioner of A-ward, Shivdas Gurav said, “Around 12 shops caught fire. Our officers were on-ground assisting the fire brigade.” One of the eyewitnesses, Arman Akmal, shared, “The fire quickly spread to other shops because clothes were stored in it. By the time the fire brigade reached here, 12-15 shops were on fire, and some trees behind the shops too caught fire. Shopkeepers quickly threw their bags filled with clothes on the other side of the road to prevent them from getting caught in the fire.” Fire brigade officials were trying to cool down the affected areas for more than 2 hours. After conducting investigation, a fire official from the Fort Fire Brigade confirmed that the incident was a result of a short circuit in one of the shops. Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/12-shops-gutted-in-fashion-street-fire-no-injuries-101667665620452.html

Where and How Should Extinguishers Be Located? Fire extinguishers that are placed correctly can be accessed more quickly to help control a fire until the fire department arrives. Fire extinguishers are not intended to be a substitute for evacuating the building safely and quickly. Two key factors for locating extinguishers are that they should be accessible and visible. Accessible: Extinguishers should be placed where they are readily accessible in the event of a fire, which typically includes normal paths of travel. Visible: If visual obstructions cannot be avoided, then arrows, lights, or signs are needed to help indicate where a fire extinguisher is located. Please refer the above image for the placement of fire extinguishers