How to use a Fire Extinguisher

In the event of a fire, a fire extinguisher can be your first line of defense. Knowing how to effectively use a fire extinguisher at home or in the workplace could prevent a small fire from turning into a devastating blaze. Fire extinguishers are essential tools in any fire safety plan, but owning one is only half the battle—you also need to know how to use it properly.

A fire extinguisher should be the first stop in case you experience a fire emergency out there. It may save hours, days, weeks, or even months if placed in the right understanding of how the fire extinguisher works and its usage, whether at home or the workplace. Fire extinguishers are indispensable equipment when preparing for emergencies, but having one is not enough; you and everyone else in your household should know how to use it.

From this guide, you will learn about fire extinguishers, including the PASS method, the different types of fire extinguishers, and how to improve fire security services. We will also look at how we can use the 4 P’s of fire safety to save ourselves, our families, and our properties. On the way, you will learn the significance of fire safety education using the case of the National Institute of Fire and Safety (NIFS) as a tool that helps people to acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to make the correct choices in fire conditions.

How to use a Fire Extinguisher: The PASS Technique

The easiest way to remember how to use a fire extinguisher is to follow the PASS technique: There are four simple steps, namely, pull, aim, squeeze, and sweep. I hope the advice in the four steps below will assist you in reacting in the fastest, most appropriate manner whenever you come across a fire.

1. Pull the Pin: The first thing to do when operating a fire extinguisher is to pull the pin at the top of the machine. This pulls out the firing pin and releases the trigger that lets out the extinguishing agent. Just as important is the fact that the majority of fire extinguishers are under pressure: pulling the pin serves to release this pressure properly.

1. Aim at the base of the fire: One of the biggest errors people commit is pointing the extinguisher at the fire. While this would appear to make a lot of sense, it simply doesn’t work in practice.

1. Squeeze the Top Handle: Turning the handle or lever clockwise puts the extinguisher under pressure, and rotating it counterclockwise expels the extinguishing agent inside the fire extinguisher. As one can infer from the graph, the faster the rate of the release of the agent the harder one squeezes. Use the handle to cover the extinguisher and keep it as long as you use it to emit the extinguisher.

1. Sweep from Side to Side: After that, step on the target point at the base of the fire, sideways, and then pull the hose backward. Take pictures from a distance and get closer as you see the intensity of the flames reducing. Keep on sweeping until the fire is out, and be careful after this, as some of the fires may flare up in some instances.

It goes without saying that if you follow the PASS method, you can make a world of difference that will guarantee you put the extinguisher to proper usage at the moment needed.

The Role of NIFS in Fire Safety Education

NIFS is an institute that has been providing intensive fire safety education and training to meet the emerging needs in society safely. People should be empowered to be denied adequate knowledge and skill in identifying, fighting, or reducing incidences of fire outbreaks. From the course perspective, it can be either for the homeowner who wants to ensure proper fire safety in houses or for businessmen who want to ensure fire protection for business premises.

To ensure the students get fully involved in fire safety courses, NIFS has the following fire safety programs; fire extinguisher training, where students get to practice industrial fire equipment, especially with the PASS technique, in this fully controlled region. This means that we offer you the advantages of university affiliation and a state board with our competency-based curriculum that will prepare you to manage fire emergencies efficiently.

Besides fire extinguisher training, courses offered by NIFS include fire rating assessment, evacuation and fire precaution methodology, innovation, fire safety solutions, etc. Women, children, citizens, and organizations exposed to these dangers need to be made aware so that they can change their environment and be informed in times of fire disasters.