You are already aware that a smoke alarm is your first line of defense when it comes to fire safety. But your second defense or step in fire protection would be the ability to fight a fire before it spreads throughout your home or business.
Should you buy a fire extinguisher? Iowa experts will recommend absolutely yes But you also need to know how to use it. Fire extinguishers can be a small but important part of the home and business fire safety plan. They can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or suppressing it until the fire department arrives on the scene.
Lives are More Important than Property
Don’t even think about buying a fire extinguisher until you have working smoke detectors and a good home and business fire evacuation plan. Fire safety experts advise that if you attempt to extinguish a fire you should first made sure that everyone else has left or is leaving the building, and that someone has called the fire department. Remember, lives are more important than property.
If those conditions have been met, you should pick up the fire extinguisher and confront the fire. Be careful to make sure that your back is to a safe exit at all times. You will also want to make sure that the fire is confined to one area. If the fire begins to spread to other areas, such as walls and curtains, you should retreat from the room. You also want to very aware of smoke. If the room begins to fill to the point that you can’t see or breathe, you should leave.
Knowing how to Use a Fire Extinguisher
The prompt use of a home extinguisher can smother a small fire before it spreads, but fire extinguishers can be dangerous in inexperienced hands. Fighting an electrical fire with a water-based extinguisher, for example, could give you an electric shock, and trying to put out a large or rapidly spreading fire with an extinguisher is useless and could leave you trapped in a burning building.
A grease fire in a kitchen can be especially dangerous. If you catch it early you may be able to put it out. But if a grease fire gets out of control, it can easily send a kitchen up in flames within three and a half minutes, leaving little time to escape. When you buy a fire extinguisher it is always advisable to take the time to learn a bit about its proper use.
