If you have a fire extinguisher in Illinois, you are showing your intelligence and awareness. Whether you place it in your home, workshop, office, factory or restaurant, you are showing that you are taking the right type of precautionary measures to prevent a tragedy from happening. Yet, while it is very important that you have an extinguisher in your home or office, it is also essential that you have the right type. Like any other piece of equipment it is important to have the right one for the job.
The Fire Extinguisher and Types of Fires
If you know nothing about the portable fire extinguisher, the Illinois fire department can quickly fill you in on the specifics. Essentially, they divide the types of extinguishers according to the type of fires. There are four basic types of fires. They are given a letter and are as follows:
* Class A: This type of fire consists of flames built from a variety of ordinary combustible materials. These are the usual – paper, wood, cardboard, and various plastics.
* Class B: Fires of this type are started and fed by a variety of combustible or flammable liquids. Among the most common are gasoline, grease, kerosene, and oil.
* Class C: These are often referred to as electrical fires. They involve various forms of electrical producing equipment or components including appliances, circuit breakers, wiring and outlets.
* Class D: This type of fire refers to those frequently found in chemical labs or other similar locations. This type of fire involves the burning of combustible metals including magnesium, potassium, sodium and titanium.
* Class K: Fires of this type commonly occurs in restaurants and other cooking facilities. It may be referred to as a grease fire since the fire starts and feeds off various types of grease including cooking oils, fats or trans-fats.
Finding the Right Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher in Illinois or any other North American city is divided into the above four categories. Yet, such equipment is also looked at in terms of its contents. As a result, you may consider fire extinguishers as being
* A Water Fire Extinguisher: This type is among the most readily available and widely used types. It is also the least expensive. A water fire extinguisher in Illinois is only used on the type of fire upon which it proves to be effective – Type A fires.
* Water Mist Fire Extinguisher: This more recent development is applicable for Class A fires which it fights more effectively than plain water extinguishers. It may also be applied for Class C fires.
* Dry Chemical Extinguishers: This type is termed a “multi-purpose” extinguisher for its ability to be used against Class A, B and C fires. The BC variety is widely used and is considered very effective. The contents may be sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. The ABC type consists of monoammonium phosphate.
* Cartridge Operated Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher: This is a variation on the dry chemical extinguisher.
* Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher: This type of extinguisher is only to be applied on D or combustible metal fires, only.
* Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers: This is to be applied to Class B and C fires only. As the name reveals, the contents are Carbon Dioxide. Unlike dry chemical fire extinguishers, this type does not leave a residue on electrical equipment.
* Clean or Halogenated Agent Fire Extinguisher: Primarily for use on Class B and C fires, this type if favored due to its use of less environmentally damaging agents. Certain larger models may be employed against Class A, B, and C fires.
* Wet Chemical Extinguishers: This was developed for dealing with Class K fires although they also may be applied for Class A fires that occur in commercial restaurant kitchens.
If you believe in keeping your home, family, business, clients and employees safe, make sure you have in place the right type of fire extinguisher. In Illinois, certain laws apply regarding having a fire extinguisher. Yet, you need to go beyond simply having on. You also need to make certain it is the right one for the job.
If you are considering purchasing and/or installing a fire extinguisher in Illinois, talk to the experts at Getz Fire Equipment Company, first. With their professional knowledge, they can advise you on the different aspects involved. From providing high quality products to installation and training, they are there to help you. To learn more about their company, skill, quality and products, visit them online at Web.
