The Fire Extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is a common fire defense device used to control or put out small fires. This firefighting tool can save lives and property if used properly when a small fire begins, but is not intended for use against larger, out-of-control fires. When fire and smoke spread, the first priority should be to safely get away and contact the local fire department by calling 911 rather than attempting to battle the fire with a small extinguisher.

Fire extinguishers have come a long way since they were first invented, undergoing many changes in the through the years until finally settling on what is widely used today. The fire extinguishers we typically use today are hand held cylindrical tanks that use pressurized agents to snuff out fire by removing one of the three things it needs to burn: oxygen, heat, or fuel. When one of these factors is removed, the fire fails to sustain itself and dies out.

Though efforts to invent an effective fire fighting implement go back in history as far as 1723, the modern fire extinguisher was invented by British Captain George William Manby in 1818. Manby’s model was made from a copper vessel that held 3 gallons of potassium carbonate contained within compressed air. Over time, many enhancements were made on the original model in order to improve its fire fighting capacity, with some interesting and notable developments along the way.

In 1910, a manufacturing company in Delaware filed a patent for using carbon tetrachloride to extinguish fires and developed what was called a fire grenade. This was a glass ball that was filled with the chemical and then hurled into fires to help put them out.

In 1924, following Bell Telephone's request for an electrically non-conductive fire extinguishing chemical, the carbon dioxide extinguisher was invented by the Walter Kidde Company. The CO2 extinguisher that is still popularly used today fights fire by displacing oxygen. It is a common misconception that this type of fire extinguisher puts out fires by cooling them, and as a result, people sometimes misuse fire extinguishers for foolish tasks like attempting to cool beverages.

Today, fire extinguishers are commonly found in homes and are legally required in all public buildings in the United States. They are typically seen as large red canisters with a black nozzle, but there is actually no official standard for their color. Instead, they are labeled with pictographic symbols to indicate the different classes of fire they are intended for. There are different fire extinguishing classes designated for ordinary solid combustibles, flammable liquids and gases, energized electrical equipment, combustible metals, and oils and fats. Multi-purpose fire extinguishers are the recommended type for home use.

Fire extinguishers have come a long way in their development since they were first invented and have become an invaluable fixture in residential settings. They provide individuals the chance to stop a fire before it spreads and causes more destruction, but fire extinguishers are only one element of a fire response plan. The first response to any significant home fire should be to safely escape, because a fire extinguisher is only effective against small, controlled, and confined incidents. Any fire that does not fall into this category should be left to the professionals at your local fire department.

Free Samples Free Art & Proof Easy Payment Easy Ordering