Fire Extinguisher

It should be kept someplace accessible so that it is available and easy to get to in an emergency. It is a good idea to mark it in a prominent way so that it can be seen also in the dark.

There are many different sorts of fire extinguishers of different weights available – 6 kg., 12 kg., 15 kg. – and the formulation of the contents varies. Israeli Standard no. 129, section 2, contains specific instructions for choosing, placing, and marking fire extinguishers.

In do-it-yourself shops and hardware stores.

Yes, they do. Only licensed fire extinguisher maintenance technicians are authorized to do any sort of maintenance work on fire extinguishers. Perform monthly checks to ensure that your fire extinguisher is in good working order, using the instructions given in Israeli Standards no. 129, section 1.

You cannot reuse a fire extinguisher once the safety pin has been released and it has been used. Refilling the extinguisher should be done only by a licensed fire extinguisher maintenance technician. When the extinguisher is being serviced, another extinguisher of equal fire-fighting power should be kept in its stead.

• ·         Look at the pressure gauge. The hand should be in the green zone, signifying the presence of pressure. If the hand is in the red zone, the extinguisher is useless.

  ·         Make sure the extinguisher is whole, i.e. that it isn’t chipped or missing handles.

  ·         Look above the hand of the gauge. There should be a plastic seal that holds the metal safety pin connecting the operating handle to the body of the extinguisher.

  ·         In order to operate the extinguisher, you must tear off the plastic seal, and pull the metal safety pin out. The operating handle is now released and the extinguisher is ready for use.

  ·         Hold the hose with one hand (so that it doesn’t fly off to the sides from the pressure), and hold and press the operating handle with the other.

  ·         With some extinguishers (with powder stored separately), it is sometimes necessary to press down the operating handle a second time to release the stream of extinguishing materials.

  ·         Use an extinguisher in the direction of the wind. Spray above head level in order to smother the fire; do not spray the fire directly.