Fire Extinguishers are devices used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. They are not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the endangers the user (i.e., no escape route, smoke, explosion hazard, etc.), or otherwise requires the expertise. Typically, fire extinguishers consist of hand-held cylindrical containers containing an agent that can be discharged to extinguish a fire. Fire extinguishers manufactured with non-cylindrical pressure vessels also exist but are less common.
The purpose of this discussion, five classes of fire, will be briefly defined:
- Class A: freely burning, combustible solid materials such as wood or paper
- Class B: flammable liquid or gas
- Class C: energized electrical fire (energized electrical source serves as the ignitor of a class A or B fire – if the electrical source is removed, it is no longer a class C fire)
- Class D: metallic fire (titanium, zirconium, magnesium, sodium)
- Class K: cooking fires – animal or vegetable oils or fats
Regardless of the type of fire, there will always be the same four elements present:
- Fuel
- Heat
- Oxygen
- Chain Reaction
The theory behind this is that the fire can be extinguished by removing one or more of these four elements.
For each class of fire, the fuel, heat source, and chain reaction vary, which is why there must be different types of fire extinguishers depending on the class of fire. For instance, while a Class A can be safely extinguished with water, a class C fire cannot, as water would conduct the electricity and risk harm to the operator.
Fire extinguishers are usually fitted in buildings at an easily accessible location, such as against a wall in a high-traffic area. They are also often fitted to motor vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft - this is required by law in many jurisdictions for identified classes of vehicles. Under 10, all commercial vehicles must carry at least one fire extinguisher, with size/UL rating depending on the type of vehicle and cargo (i.e., fuel tankers usually must have a 20 lb (9.1 kg), while most others can carry a 5 lb (2.3 kg)). The revised NFPA 10 created criteria for placing "fast flow extinguishers" in locations such as those storing and transporting pressurized flammable liquids and pressurized flammable gas or areas with the possibility of three-dimensional class B hazards are required to have "fast flow extinguishers" as required by NFPA 5.5.1.1. Varying classes of competition vehicles require fire extinguishing systems, the simplest requirements being a 1A:10BC hand-held portable extinguisher mounted to the vehicle's interior.
The height limit for installation, as determined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is 60 in (1.5 m) for fire extinguishers weighing less than 40 lb (18 kg). However, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also needs to be followed within the United States. The ADA height limit of the fire extinguisher, as measured at the handle, is 48 in (1.2 m). Fire extinguisher installations are also limited to protruding no more than 4 inches into the adjacent path of travel. The ADA rule states that any object adjacent to a path of travel may not project more than 4 in (10 cm) if the object's bottom leading edge is higher than 27 in (0.69 m). The 4-inch protrusion rule was designed to protect people with low vision and those who are blind. The height limit rule of 48 inches is primarily related to access by people with wheelchairs, but it is also related to other disabilities. Before 2012, the height limit was 54 in (1.4 m) for side-reach by wheelchair-accessible installations. Installations made before 2012 at the 54-inch height are not required to be changed.
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