Water Fire Extinguishers and Their Uses

I’ve always heard the saying ‘if you play with fire, you’ll get burnt’. Most of the time this is true, but if you’re playing with a Class A fire with a Water Fire Extinguisher and using the correct technique, then I’m going to have to argue with you on this one!

Joking aside, fires are a very serious and dangerous threat to the safety of all of us. Today I read an article which explained how brown falcons in Australia will purposely spread bushfires in order to catch their lunch! They do this by grabbing a stick with fire on one end, flying towards their target area and dropping the stick to smoke out their prey. I was completely shocked and astonished at the same time. While I’ve never had the experience of being exposed to a bushfire before, to think that birds can expedite the spread of bushfires simply astounds me.

There’s no doubt that fires are an extremely powerful force that will destroy everything in its path. Everyone should have at least basic fire safety training and understand how to properly use a fire extinguisher to try to contain a small fire before it spreads and potentially causes huge amounts of damage to both property and people. If you haven’t been trained in the proper use of a fire extinguisher before, then simply watch this video.

Today I’d like to share with you some insightful information on Water Fire Extinguishers and their uses. But before I can do this, there is some basic fire information that you should be aware of first. Fire is caused when a mixture of fuel (wood, gas, liquids), oxygen (air), and heat are combined together. Fire extinguishers are effective at suppressing small fires; however there are different fire extinguishers that are only suitable for certain types of fire (or the fuel causing the fire). The different types of fuels that cause fires are referred to as ‘classes of fires’.

Classes of Fires

Class A – Carbon based materials (wood, plastic, paper, and textiles)

Class B – Combustible and flammable liquids (oil, paint, and petrol)

Class C – Combustible gases (butane, propane, and methane)

Class D – Combustible metals (aluminium and magnesium)

Electrical fires – Electrical equipment (mobile phones, hair dryers, and computers)

Class F – Cooking fires (lard, fats, and vegetable oils)

Now that you have an understanding of the different classes of fires, let’s take a look at each of the fire extinguishers to see which is suitable for each class of fire.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

There are five types of fire extinguishers available in Australia that are suitable for different classes of fires. The table below lists each of the fire extinguishers, the way to differentiate between them, and which extinguishers are suitable for certain classes of fires.

Water Fire Extinguishers

The most common of all fire extinguishers is the Water Fire Extinguisher. Water Fire Extinguishers work by discharging a stream of water which lowers the temperature of the burning material to below ignition point.

You’ll know that a fire extinguisher is a Water Fire Extinguisher because there is no coloured band at the top; the whole device is red. While they are only suitable for Class A fires such as wood, plastic, paper, textiles, and textiles, Water Fire Extinguishers are the most effective at extinguishing Class A fires.

It’s important to note that you should never use a Water Fire Extinguisher on anything other than a Class A fire. Using a Water Fire Extinguisher on an electrical fire can cause serious consequences as the water and metal casing of the extinguisher itself will conduct the electricity and may electrocute you. This is why it’s important to understand which fire extinguishers are suitable for which classes of fires.

Purchasing a Water Fire Extinguishers is an excellent investment, particularly during the summer period where fires are more common. For a wide range of fire extinguishers at affordable prices, get in touch with the professionals at King Fire Protection Solutions on 1300 344 966, or visit their website for further information: https://www.kingfire.com.au