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How many of you are expecting to have running fuel fires in your home
So, is there anywhere where Powder Extinguishers should be used? There are two specific risks for which, at present, Powder Extinguishers offer the only option:
1) Running fuel fires – i.e. if you use flammable liquids and there is a possibility of spillage.
2) Gas risks – if you use flammable gases, such as LPG. (You need adequate training to tackle fires involving gas risks.)
From the link you provided, "running fuel" in this context would be spilt oils that are on fire. Could apply equally in the garage or kitchen tbh. I agree gas is another beast altogether.
I’ve used both a CO2 and a Powder in anger and cannot imagine a situation in my own home where I would discover (or be alerted to) a fire, go and get the extinguisher (it will never be in the ideal place for that fire), and fight the fire rather than alerting everyone else in the house, calling the fire brigade and getting out. Using an extinguisher first seems the wrong sequence of events.
If my kitchen is on fire the interlinked detector will already have alerted everyone. If I'm in the kitchen, where my extinguisher is, then I'll be grabbing it before making sure everyone else is out, then I'll fight the fire. If everyone is already out then I'll go straight for the fire. Powder everywhere, boo hoo. Still rather clear that shit up than lose my house (but not my life trying).
As for where in my own home I could imagine then as said oil fires in the kitchen, hot pans causing something the catch fire (shit happens, people drop things for a variety of reasons) or just electrical fires. Yes an RCD will cut the power but insulation can still smoulder and burn after the event, I had the joy of a 415V motor blowing up next to me at work with flames belting out, fire brigade (site and proper) attended but we had already extinguished and cooled it with a CO2 extinguisher. Already had a washing machine and tumble dryer throw their motors at home so I know fine it can still happen at home.
And yes, I've had training, in confined spaces (shipboard fire fighting), and know how each type works.
sounds like you have a more advanced skillset that equips you in a way that the average punter with an Amazon bought extinguisher isn't.
The training video I watched said to smash the regulator off the extinguisher then throw it into the inferno before running across a burning collapsing roof.
Is that wrong?
Haha. Obviously a joke but I have seen a 5kg CO2 do the Hollywood missile thing. It went up a tree, across the car park and stoved the side of a van in.
I mentioned earlier in the thread some basic checks you can do on old extinguishers.
Just remember pressure vessels can be very dangerous and are sometimes best discharged safely, replaced and turned into tubeless inflators.
sounds like you have a more advanced skillset that equips you in a way that the average punter with an Amazon bought extinguisher isn’t.
The thing is it's not really all that advanced. As long as you get your priorities right then why shouldn't anyone have one? As for proper use, domestic sales at least should come with proper instructions (haha).
at the risk or redoing a dozen previous posts, because they aren't easy for the untrained user to use, effectively, in a confined space. Providing a set of instructions (what, to read once then you get it and the hope you remembered them 5 years later when you need them? or do you re read them while the fire waits?) doesn't get close to enabling the layman to safely tackle a fire and may (even, is likely) to put them at greater risk.
When firefighters on here are saying they don't have them and would just shut the door and get out, same as the FS folk that did our home safety inspection - that's sufficient advice for me