Fire extinguishers are crucial in containing the spread of fire and are installed at various points in buildings. You must have seen the red cylinders implanted on the walls in hospitals, offices, and malls along with a board of instructions detailing how to use them in emergencies. They are an important component of the Fire alarm system installed in the building to deal with the fire at initial stage quickly. But have you ever thought about what kind of fire extinguisher is appropriate for your building? Fire extinguishers come in many forms and sizes are considered as one of the effective tools to handle fire-related incidents. They come in different varieties and work differently depending on the nature of the fire.
Water extinguishers
Water extinguishers are commonly used to fight fire in basic materials such as paper, wood, or textiles. The fire companies have developed several designs in water-extinguishers such as;
- Water Jet Extinguishers: are used to fight fire by spraying a jet of water at the burning materials to extinguish the fire and cool them off.
- Water Spray Extinguisher: As denoted by its name, it uses a fine spray of droplets over the burning material. The droplets are accompanied by non-conducive air. They can be applied to electrical appliances as well.
- Water Additive Extinguishers: are accompanied by certain foaming chemicals. They are effective in larger fires.
- Water mist/fog extinguishers: use smaller droplets than the Water Spray Extinguisher to cool down the heat coming from the burning materials.
Foam Extinguishers
Foam extinguishers are effective in fighting fire off materials such as petrol, fuels as well as paper, wood, etc. They are, however, not advisable to use on free-flowing liquids such as petrol or other fuels.
Powder Extinguishers
They are multipurpose fire-extinguishers as they can be used on basic, liquid as well as on flammable gases such as propane, methane, and butanes. They are effective in controlling fire due to poisonous gases however they do not cool down the heat emitting from the burning material and there is a chance of re-ignition of fire. Also, they leave a toxic residue that can affect the breathing of people therefore it is not recommended to use them indoors. These types of extinguishers are used in factories to control fire-related incidents.
Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers
They are multipurpose fire-extinguishers as they can be used on basic, liquid as well as on flammable gases such as propane, methane, and butanes. They are effective in controlling fire due to poisonous gases however they do not cool down the heat emitting from the burning material and there is a chance of re-ignition of fire. Also, they leave a toxic residue that can affect the breathing of people therefore it is not recommended to use them indoors. These types of extinguishers are used in factories to control fire-related incidents.
Wet chemical extinguishers
The wet chemical extinguishers are used to fight off the fire on cooking materials such as burning oil and fat. The fire companies suggest using wet chemical extinguishers to deal with fire incidents across kitchens and restaurants.
Different fires require different extinguishers. Ensure your building is equipped with the correct types of fire extinguishers and properly maintained.
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Smart Gas Admin
Our editorial team comprises certified gas and fire safety engineers with decades of experience in the UAE. We publish guides and industry insights to help building owners and developers navigate UAE regulations.
