In order to better understand fire safety, you should know the top fire extinguisher facts. Because fire extinguishers play such a huge role when it comes to fire protection, it's useful to understand how they work and why they were invented.
Fire extinguishers can quickly put out a fire before it has the chance to spread and destroy an entire building. That's why in this blog, we will discuss the top five fire extinguisher facts. This will help you better understand the history of fire extinguishers and how to properly use them.
Top 5 Fire Extinguisher Facts
Fact #1
The first rudimentary fire extinguisher was invented in the Middle Ages. It was known as a "Squirt" and it was used to spray a stream of water to the base of a fire. The way the Squirt worked was similar to a bicycle pump. The nozzle was inserted into water, then you could pull on the plunger to suck up about one liter of water. Once the Squirt was filled with water, you could push on the plunger to eject the water and extinguish the fire.
Fact #2
The first automatic fire extinguisher was patented in 1723 by a chemist in England named Ambrose Godfrey. The extinguisher had a fuse that connected a cask filled with a fire extinguishing agent and a pewter chamber of gunpowder. When you would ignite the fuse, the gunpowder would explode, which would allow the extinguishing solution to release on top of the fire.
Fact #3
Fire extinguishers are cylinder-shaped, handheld devices that are made out of steel. They're usually red in color to increase the visibility of the device. In order to put out small fires in a home or workplace, the extinguishers are armed with one of the seven pressurized agents. The type of agent is determined by the Class of the fire and the type of environment it's used in.
Fact #4
There are three major categories for fire extinguishers -- water, dry chemical and carbon dioxide. The most common type is water, which uses compressed air as a propellant to help remove the fire's heat source. Dry chemical extinguishers have a tank filled with either foam or dry powder, along with compressed nitrogen, which is used as a propellant. Then the carbon dioxide extinguishers contain a mixture of CO2 in both liquid and gas form.
Fact #5
Fire extinguishers play an important role for business owners. In about 80 percent of fire incidents, a fire extinguisher is all that's necessary to put out the fire. The use of a fire extinguisher can make the difference between minor and major fire damage. If you're able to stop a fire before it spreads, then it could result in less damages and lower repair bills.
Contact Frontier Fire
Frontier Fire offers the top fire protection services in Colorado and Utah. If you're in need of fire extinguisher, fire alarm or fire sprinkler services, then give us a call today. We can handle anything from maintenance and repairs to installations and inspections. Plus, we offer 24/7 emergency service in case of urgent situations.
