The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on Fire. We don’t need no water, we need a – ABC Fire Extinguisher?
In the last blog, I talked about a bug-in or bug-out situation when a fire is approaching your home.
This week I want to talk to you about what to do if there is a fire inside your home.
Biologically, fire does not have a DNA, it is not cellular, and it does not need water to survive. As a firefighter in Georgia and an US Navy firefighter, I have been in many fires. In my opinion, fire is very much alive. A fire can grow, change direction, and sometimes create an atmosphere to change its environment.
Fires have five classifications. Class A – ordinary combustibles (wood, cloth, paper, plastic, etc). Class B – flammable liquids (oil, gasoline, etc). Class C – electrical fires. Class D – flammable metals (sodium, titanium, magnesium, etc). Class K – kitchen cooking grease.
All fires basically need heat, fuel, and oxygen to exist. Regardless of the classification, the fire will use the heat, fuel, and oxygen until one of the three is used up or taken away. Water is the most used resource to combat fires. Water takes away the heat of the fire and when used in abundance, it can take away the oxygen. Taking away the heat and or oxygen will usually put the fire out. There are special cases like class D and class K fires that may have a chemical reaction to water. This chemical reaction can cause and explosion and spread the fire.
Therefore, if you are not sure what type of fire. You could be doing more harm than good. Take a seminar with battlex2prepper.com or in your local community.
So now that we know the enemy and there tactics, let’s find the most effective way to combat them.
As a prepper, I arm myself with the tools I need to survive. As a firefighter, I arm myself with ways to combat fires in different locations throughout my home. A smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector is your first defense in my firefighting plan.
A fire extinguisher is the best means to fight fires in your home, unless you have a firehose and connections in your home. Each home is different and fire extinguishers can be very expensive. Research before purchasing a fire extinguisher. Having the wrong extinguisher could be more dangerous than not using anything.
Some of the most common extinguishers are ABC fire extinguishers, CO2 extinguishers, and Water fire extinguishers. The ABC extinguisher is designed to combat the class A, B, and C fires. It works by knocking down high flames, smothering the fire when shot at the base of the fire and absorbing the heat. The ABC extinguisher leaves a residue, so there will be extra cleanup and your firefighting efforts.
The CO2 fire extinguisher is designed for the class B or C fire; it could also be used for small class A fires. Aim at the base of the fire. The CO2 extinguisher works by separating the oxygen from the heat and fuel. The expanding CO2 gas also has a cooling effect on the fire.
Warning, the expanding gas from the CO2 extinguisher can cause a static charge, so keep the bottle grounded.
Warning #2, the expanding gas from the CO2 may cause frost on the nozzle. Do not hold the extinguisher by the nozzle. Use the handles only.
The Water fire extinguisher is used to combat class A fires. The Water extinguisher works by cooling the fire.
Warning, do not use a Water extinguisher on any fire except the Class A.
I spoke to a lady who was concerned about her daughter who has one arm. She wanted to know if there were fire extinguishers that could be used with one hand. The answer is yes, there are certain extinguishers that are shaped like a hairspray bottle.
Fire extinguishers come in many shapes and sizes. Each fire extinguisher is rated to be used at a certain distance from the fire. Make sure to read all instructions before actuating the extinguisher. Make sure to practice with each extinguisher in your home. Do not wait until there is an incident to try to figure out how to use the extinguisher.
Know your limits and capabilities. If a room in your house catches fire, try to put it out as safe as possible. If your eyes begin to water or it is getting hard to breath – leave! Warn people in the house that there is a fire, even if the smoke alarm is sounding (Saturday morning bacon makes my smoke detector go off so much, my kids ignore it now). It takes about ten minutes for a fire to be out of control. In that time an area could be engulfed in flames.
Houses, clothes, pictures, and heirlooms are just things; they can be replaced. You are one of a kind and cannot be replaced.
Need more info, check me out battlex2prepper.com.
Let’s talk about it.