Also, be sure to use the right fire extinguisher on an electrical or a grease fire. Most fire extinguishers in the US have their category printed somewhere on the fire extinguisher:
*Class A extinguishers are for ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and most plastics. The numerical rating on these types of extinguishers indicates the amount of water it holds and the amount of fire it can extinguish. &
*Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, grease and oil. The numerical rating for class B extinguishers indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire it can extinguish.
*Class C fires involve electrical equipment, such as appliances, wiring, circuit breakers and outlets. Never use water to extinguish class C fires – the risk of electrical shock is far too great! Class C extinguishers do not have a numerical rating. The C classification means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive.
*Class D fire extinguishers are commonly found in a chemical laboratory. They are for fires that involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, potassium and sodium. These types of extinguishers also have no numerical rating, nor are they given a multi-purpose rating – they are designed for class D fires only
Using a class A (water) extinguisher on an electrical or grease fire can be life-threatening.
remember the acronym PASS for extinguisher use:
P – Pull the pin.
A – Aim at the BASE of the fire — that is where the fuel for the fire is.
S – Squeeze the lever slowly.
S – Sweep from side-to-side until the fire is out.