You May Not Think It's That Important But You'd Be Wrong. Fire Extinguishers!

You may not think a fire extinguisher is an integral part of your survival gear, but you'd be wrong. Whether you are sheltering in place or bugging out, the possibility of a fire increases under either of the these situations.

Just because you are sheltering in place, that doesn't mean accidents can't happen. Stressful situations can make us less attentive to detail. If you are fortunate to still be able to cook normally in your kitchen, grease fires or something placed a bit too close to a burner can quickly spread into a fire out of control. And if you have to resort to using a propane stove or campfire, that can make the situation even riskier. When is the last time you actually cooked over an open fire?

If it's gotten down to an outright emergency situation, you may not be able to count on the fire department. So let's be sure you have the proper equipment on hand.

We all learned the basic science of fires in school. We know they need fuel. And the need oxygen. Remove either of these and the fire goes out. That's how fire extinguishers work. They either cool the fuel or displace the oxygen. 

There are four types of fire extinguishers, each for a different type of fire. The four types are:

• Class A: for common materials such as paper, cloth, wood, rubber and some plastics
• Class B: for combustible liquids such as kitchen grease, gasoline, oil, or oil-based paint
• Class C: for electrical fires
• Class D: for combustible metals such as potassium or magnesium

It is unlikely you will need a Class D fire extinguisher - unless you are sheltering in a chemical warehouse! But it is very likely you will at some point have need for the other three types. Does that mean you have to buy all three types? No. Fortunately, you can purchase a fire extinguisher that has an ABC rating. I'll give you my recommendation at the end of this post. 

Be sure the fire extinguisher you choose does have an ABC rating. These are good on any type of fire. If you have only a Class A or even one each of a Class A, Class B, and Class C, you could actually make matters worse if you use the wrong one. In an emergency situation, you don't want to run the risk of accidentally grabbing the wrong extinguisher and electrocuting yourself by spraying water on an electrical fire for example. 

Once you have purchased your fire extinguisher, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! Everyone needs to be familiar with how to use it, if necessary. Like performing CPR, it needs to become an automatic response. You won't have time to learn once a fire has started.  There are basically four steps:

1. Pull the pin
2. Aim at the base of the fire. Always aim at the base of the fire. Aiming at the flames won't work. the base is where the fire is getting its fuel. Aim at the base.
3. Squeeze the lever slowly
4. Sweep the hose from side to side

It's that easy - as long as you don't panic. Practice makes perfect so have everyone go through the motions until it becomes second nature. Just don't pull the pin while practicing!

I keep a fire extinguisher in my kitchen, one in each garage, one in each vehicle, and one in our boat. At a minimum I would keep one in the kitchen and one in the garage. And make sure you inspect them monthly to make sure it's pressurized. Nothing worse than a fire extinguisher that doesn't work when it's needed!

Now as for which one to purchase? These are the ones I recommend:

Amerex B402, 5lb ABC Dry Chemical Class A B C Fire Extinguisher: I have only had to use a fire extinguisher once...and that's another story. But the one I used was an Amerex that hadn't been inspected in years. And still worked great. Talk about reliability. Gets my vote! It is more expensive than other brands but if you can afford it, this would be my choice.

First Alert HOME1 Rechargeable Standard Home Fire Extinguisher UL Rated 1-A:10-B:C: If you're on a bit of a budget, this would be my second choice. It's affordable, plus it's rechargeable, which means it's reusable provided you get it recharged by a certified professional. It's also Coast Guard approved for marine use and is the one we carry on our boat.

Buckeye 13315 ABC Multipurpose Dry Chemical Hand Held Fire Extinguisher with Aluminum Valve and Vehicle Bracket, 2.5 lbs Agent Capacity: This is the one we carry in our cars. It's DOT compliant, which is important to us. Plus it has a vehicle mounting bracket which makes it easy to carry. Buckeye has always been a reliable brand. I've never had to use mine, but I trust it will work when needed!