Do I Really Need a Fire Extinguisher?

You probably know already that a smoke alarm is by far the best home-safety investment you can make. For as little as $10, a working smoke alarm can help you literally rest assured that a fire won't catch you sleeping.

But perhaps you'd like to take the next step in fire protection. Perhaps you'd like to be able to fight a fire before it spreads through your home. Should you buy a fire extinguisher?

Fire extinguishers can be a small but important part of the home fire safety plan, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says. They can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or suppressing it until the fire department arrives.

But there's an important addition to that statement: Don't even think about buying a fire extinguisher until you've already got working smoke alarms and a good home fire evacuation plan.

Fire safety experts advise that you attempt to extinguish a fire only if is a very small fire—about the size of a trash can and you’ve been trained how to use an extinguisher. Larger fires are too big for a portable fire extinguisher. If it is a small fire, you have first made sure that everyone else has left or is leaving the building and that someone will call the fire department once outside. (It is important not to delay escaping to make the call – get out first and call from a neighbor’s home or use a cell phone.) Remember, lives are more important than property.

If those conditions have been met, you should pick up the fire extinguisher and attack the fire. Be careful to make sure that at all times your back is to a safe exit. You'll also want to make sure that the fire is confined to one area. If it begins to spread to other areas, such as walls and curtains, immediately get out of the home and wait for the fire department to respond.

You also want to beware of smoke. If the room begins to fill to the point that you can't see or breathe, you should retreat.

The prompt use of a home extinguisher can smother a small fire before it spreads, but fire extinguishers can be dangerous in inexperienced hands. Trying to put out a large or rapidly spreading fire with an extinguisher is useless and could leave you trapped in a burning building.

A grease fire in a kitchen can be especially dangerous. If you catch it early you may be able to put it out. But if a grease fire gets out of control, it can easily send a kitchen up in flames within three and a half minutes, leaving little time to escape.

So if you decide to buy a fire extinguisher, take the time to learn a bit about its proper use. Get training from your local fire department on how to use a fire extinguisher. They can set up a controlled fire so you can try putting it out, and learn from practice how a fire extinguisher works.

For more information, visit www.nfpa.org