PART 5 - How to use a Fire Extinguisher?

5/6/2021 (Permalink)

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Fire extinguishers can save lives and prevent the total destruction of properties. When a fire begins, how quickly it will spread depends on surrounding building and content materials. Everything can happen so fast that in that exact moment, it may be difficult to think clearly, let alone decide how to best react to the situation.

Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher can be of great value. Understanding what to do after extinguishing the flames is the fifth and final step of this blog series.

UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO AFTER USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER

• If you have emptied one canister and the flames continue, if the fire has not grown, you can use another cylinder but again, your focus must be on the base of the flames. If you are still unsuccessful after using the resources available, make the call to your local fire department by dialing 911. In most instances, they will arrive within minutes to quickly put out the fire.
• If you have successfully extinguished flames, what a relief!!
• Once the flames are out, you first make sure everyone is safe, that no one was injured nor inhaled smoke or fumes. If anyone needs to be evaluated by a medical professional, seek help at once. Next, try to keep everyone away from the area that had caught fire because a bigger mess will be made with a lot of movement. As you look around… the powdery substance deployed from the now empty canister will be all over, not just on the area you sprayed, so a good cleanup will be needed. Now is the time to call in the professionals instead of a typical maid service because you will want to fully remove the smoky smell. 

At SERVPRO of West Covina, our team is professionally trained to remove even the tiniest of odor-causing particles and leave behind a fresh clean area. Time and again, our customers cannot get over how clean we leave the area post-fire. We constantly hear that we left EVERYTHING cleaner than when it was brand new! We love these kinds of compliments for a job well done and this is part of the reason why we find this line of work so rewarding.