Encountering a fire in your own home is a frightening experience. So many thoughts are likely to go through your mind on seeing smoke and flames invading your living space - but, on discovering the fire, you must act quickly and calmly for your own safety and for the safety of others in your property. Within seconds you'll need to assess the severity of the fire. How large is it? Can it be tackled safely? Is it in a dangerous location? Could it spread quickly or cause an explosion? Has it already damaged the building structure? These are your key questions - questions that will help you decide on a course of action.
If the fire is advanced or has the potential to spiral out of control your first priority is to alert others in the property and evacuate. When everyone is at a safe distance you should dial 999 and ask for the fire brigade. However, if the fire is small and caught early on then you may decide that you can extinguish it yourself using your own fire extinguishing equipment.
Fire Extinguisher Types
There are three types of fire extinguisher suitable for use at home. These are…
- Powder extinguishers
- Foam extinguishers
- Water extinguishers
Two types of powder extinguisher are available on the market. These are standard powders and multi-purpose 'dry' powders. For home use the multi-purpose powder is recommended, as this tends to be more effective in 'knocking down' flames than standard powders, especially when the fire is burning solids. Standard powders are more effective on liquid-based fires.
Foam extinguishers too work well in the home. Just like the powder extinguishers there are two types of foam extinguisher - a standard foam extinguisher and an aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) extinguisher. Only the AFFF extinguisher is suitable for our purposes as it can be used to stop all but electrical and chip pan fires.
Water extinguishers are probably the least useful in a house fire. Their function is to cool the burning material, but their usage is severely restricted. At best they can only extinguish burning solids like wood and paper.
How to use a fire extinguisher safely
Fire extinguishers are very easy to use. For most types of extinguisher it is simply a matter of unclipping the hose, removing the pin from the handle and aiming the jet at the appropriate part of the fire. All extinguishers are labelled with instructions on how to use them. As a matter of course you should get familiar with those instructions so in the event that you need to use your extinguisher you can do so with confidence.
When using powder extinguishers you'll knock down the flames quicker if you aim the jet of powder at the base of the fire and sweep the jet from side-to-side. It should be noted though that powder extinguishers do little to cool the burning object(s). The fire that you have put out could therefore reignite. Great care and vigilance is needed then when tackling fires with this type of product.
Water extinguishers and foam extinguishers are used in much the same way as powder extinguishers for solid burning fires. But where the fire material is a liquid a foam extinguisher should be dispensed against a vertical surface, such as a wall, above the fire base. This way the burning liquid is not spread from its original area by the powerful jet or spray dispenser.
Chip pan fires
None of the fire extinguishers mentioned cope at all well with chip pan fires. The main problem encountered is that burning fat and oil is too easily spread around the kitchen by the extinguisher, either by the strength of the jet or by the volume of material it adds to the pan, which then causes the burning liquid to overflow. Water extinguishers can even cause the oil and fat in the pan to explode!
The solution for a chip pan fire then is NOT to use a fire extinguisher. Instead, a fire blanket should be draped over the flames. This separates the burning material from its air supply, killing the fire.
Ready for action?
Regardless of the type of fire extinguishing equipment in your possession, it will only be of any use to you if you can get to it easily in an emergency. Therefore, don't store fire extinguishers and fire blankets in a back room somewhere or in the understairs cupboard. Instead make the equipment readily available for use in a commonly used area of your home, such as in your hallway, or for a fire blanket, in the kitchen.
For fire extinguishers do remember too that you or a member of your family may need to carry the equipment to a different part of the house to tackle a blaze. Extinguishers should therefore be of a manageable size and easily portable.
Finally, do make a point of having all fire extinguishers in your possession serviced once each year or as per the manufacturer's instructions. It'll ensure that they are in full working order and that they'll be ready to do the job should you need to use them on a fire in your home.
Advice for Landlords
If you rent out your home or a residential investment property you have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of your tenants. Part of your remit is to ensure that appropriate fire extinguishing equipment is available to the tenant, is fully serviced and is in good working order. If the equipment is absent, damaged or non-functional the tenant may have the legal right to prosecute you. It therefore pays to take your responsibilities seriously. Further advice can be sought from your local council.
If you own a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) you'll have extra responsibilities with regards to fire safety. This includes the installation of an adequate fire alarm system and the provision of firefighting equipment on each floor of the property, and in appropriate quantities for the number of residents in the property. Self-closing fire doors must also be fitted. The landlord is responsible too for setting up and maintaining fire escape exits and routes. For furnished rental properties all furniture supplied must be approved as fire resistant.
For more advice on how to comply with fire safety laws in an HMO do contact your local council authority. The council's fire officer will be more than willing to help you assess your fire risk and to point you in the right direction on how to fulfil your fire safety obligations to protect both you and your tenants.
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