Fire extinguisher
A Fire extinguisher is a device which can be used to control a fire. Fire extinguishers can help remove the fire, and may stop it from burning. Depending on the size, some fire extinguishers can be carried around and operated by hand. There are different kinds of fire extinguishers. Different kinds of fire can be controlled by different substances. There are color codes, the color tells what kinds of fires the fire extinguisher is useful for:
| Fire Class | Geometric Symbol | Pictogram | Intended Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Green Triangle | Garbage can and wood pile fire | Ordinary solid combustibles |
| B | Red Square | Fuel container and burning puddle | Flammable liquids and gases |
| C | Blue Circle | Electric plug wand burning outlet | Energized (live) electrical equipment |
| D | Yellow Pentagram (Star) | Burning Gear and Bearing | Combustible metals |
| K | Black Hexagon | Pan burning | Cooking oils and fats |
There are also different sizes of fire extinguishers. Bigger fire extinguishers can be used for a longer time. Hand-held fire extinguishers vary between 0.5 and 14 kg. A 2 kg extinguisher works for about two to four seconds, the 12 kg model for about eighteen seconds. There are also bigger fire extinguishers, mounted on a cart or a vehicle. These are used to fight fires at airports, for example.
To be useful, fire extinguishers need to be checked after a certain amount of time. Usually, for fire extinguishers in public buildings, there are laws about this amount of time.
Transparent fire extinguishers are used for training
A 1904 advertisement showing how to use a fire extinguisher
