Would You Have A Fire Extinguisher Available If an Emergency Occurred?
Quite a few people don’t realize just how important a fire extinguisher is when it comes to preparing your home (and your car) for an emergency. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your car and home, there are some things you need to consider. We’re going to go over some of the benefits of having a fire extinguisher ready during an emergency.
The More the Merrier
A fire extinguisher should be available in several places in your home or business. One of these places is near the stove, but not too close to it. The reason is that if a huge fire occurs near the stove, the fire extinguisher may not be accessible because of the flames. An ideal location would be six to eight feet away from the stove.
Another good location for a fire extinguisher is the garage. You may have an electrical fire in a garage, and you will not have time to run into your house to get the fire extinguisher. When it comes to an emergency situation, you can never be too prepared, which is why it can help to have more than one fire extinguisher.
Know How to Use It
Having the fire extinguisher nearby is only helpful if you understand how to properly use it in an emergency. Using a fire extinguisher involves removing the fire extinguisher from the unit it is mounted too. You will have to remove the pin near the top and hold the device at chest level and squeezing down the trigger to hit your target.
Some extinguishers have a small hose to aim at your target. Others, usually the smaller units, do not have this hose. Either way, make sure you know how to use your fire extinguisher should the need arise. You don’t want to wait until the middle of an emergency to figure out how it functions.
Maintenance IS Necessary
One of the most important and quite overlooked aspects of a fire extinguisher involves getting your fire extinguisher tested annually. A fire extinguisher won’t do you any good if you go to use it and it no longer works.
Local fire companies will usually certify your fire extinguisher. It is a good idea to get your extinguisher certified once per year so that you can be sure it will be able to perform in the event of an emergency.
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