5 types of fire extinguishers

Discover 5 Types of Fire Extinguishers to Handle Any Fire Emergency

Do you know how to work a fire extinguisher in case of a fire? To be prepared for unpredictable emergencies, Northland Fire recommends familiarizing yourself with your fire extinguisher, as well as the different types of fires they are used to put out.

If you look at a fire extinguisher, you'll notice there are a series of symbols denoting what type of fire that particular model can extinguish. Depending on what kind of facility you work in, your fire extinguisher will have the following types of fire listed on its label:

Class A: This type of fire is caused by combustible materials like paper, cloth, and wood.

Class B: More serious than a fire involving wood or paper, a Class B fire is fueled by flammable liquids like oil or gasoline.

Class C: If you experience an electrical fire, it's a Class C fire. Your extinguisher will work for flames occurring on fuse boxes, appliances, and wiring.

Class D: This fire is caused by combustible metals like sodium or magnesium.

Class K: For fires that occur on the stovetop, like burning oil or grease, a fire extinguisher must include a Class K symbol.

In addition to these single use extinguishers, some fire extinguishers carry multiple symbols representing the different types of fires they can handle. Once you've determined the type of fire you are experiencing, verify you have the correct fire extinguisher to douse that particular fire.

For help selecting the right fire extinguisher for your office or to install a fire alarm or suppression system, contact Northland Fire today. To see a full list of their products and services, visit the website.

fire extinguisher use at home

Fire Extinguishers & Beyond: 5 Important Fire Safety Training Questions

Ensuring your employees are well-versed in fire safety is key to preventing unwanted flames from taking over, resulting in property damage and serious injuries. A fire safety training class teaches you and your team how to use fire extinguishers and other important safety skills that keep your business standing and OSHA-compliant. Get the most from your fire safety course by asking the following questions prior to signing up.

What Course Is Best for My Team?

The best course for your staff goes over emergencies most likely to occur with your type of business. Training leaders must inspect your facility prior to the first class to create a customized course that teaches employees more about the building they work in and what to do in case of an emergency.

Where Will Training Occur?

Many classes occur outdoors due to fire pit and fire extinguisher use. However, the best courses are those that simulate emergencies and subsequent procedures on location. Digital technology avoids starting actual fires indoors and provides employees with the training they need.

Who Is Instructing the Course?

First responders and firefighters are among the best professionals to teach fire safety because of their knowledge and experience. They know how emergencies start, are experts in fire suppression systems, and share real-life experiences and stories to paint a more vivid picture of safety practices.

What Does the Course Teach?

Basic training courses teach how and when to use fire extinguishers, and how to exit buildings safely. Knowing when to use an extinguisher and when to leave the blaze to professionals can be the difference between life and death.

Are There Any Additional Costs?

Use of fire equipment can result in a higher training fee, as can obtaining a burn permit for outdoor demonstrations. Failure to use a burn permit can incur costs as well. Simulated training is arguably the best option, as it does not require equipment use or permits, nor does it result in high fees and long cleanup sessions.

Find the extinguishers, fire alarms, and other fire protection equipment you need at Northland Fire. Proudly serving industrial and commercial clients in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upper Michigan, and North Dakota, the premier business offers a variety of fire suppression systems as well as 24-hour emergency service. Contact Northland Fire to schedule service or visit the team’s website for additional information. Like the company on Facebook for more helpful tips.

oven top pan with flames

4 Ways to Fight & Prevent Grease Fires Starting With Fire Extinguishers

Whether you’re cooking over a hot stove at home or in a restaurant, grease fires are a serious cause for concern. The best way to avoid these dangerous outbursts is through prevention techniques and thorough preparation. That’s why locals throughout Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota depend on Northland Fire. As experts in fire protection equipment—from fire alarms to fire extinguishers—they take pride in helping customers learn how to protect themselves.

Understand Cooking With Oils

First and foremost, it’s important to understand how to cook with oils and grease. When you put oil in a pan, it should never be allowed to burn. If you notice smoke, your pan is too hot and you should reduce the heat immediately. Keep in mind, at 500 degrees, smoke from grease will ignite into fire.

Pay Attention

Most grease fires start when cooks aren’t paying close attention to their stoves. To keep you and your home safe, always have active fire alarms, and never leave your kitchen with something cooking on the stove. By keeping a close eye on your pots and pans, you can reduce the heat as soon as the grease starts smoking.

Move Combustible Items

To avoid exacerbating a grease fire, move all combustible items away from your stove before you start cooking. Keep your paper towels, dish towels, and paper cookbooks at a safe distance as well.

Fire Extinguishers

For added peace of mind, always have a fire extinguisher handy. If a grease fire should erupt, remember—water will only make it worse! Instead, use a fire extinguisher.

Are you looking for fire protection equipment for your home or business? If so, contact Northland Fire and speak with a helpful member of our team. For more information on this Superior, WI-based company, including their selection of fire alarms and fire extinguishers, check out their website.

different types of fire extinguishers lined up

Different Types of Fire Extinguishers

At a glance, fire extinguishers may not seem very different from one another. While the red canister is symbolic of the profession, there’s so much more to this invaluable tool than meets the eye. In fact, firefighters are trained to use many different extinguishers.

Each style serves a unique purpose and is designed to suppress a specific type of fire:

Water & Foam: Water smothers the heat source, while foam separates the oxygen element from the fire. Water extinguishers are meant to put out Class A fires, which are caused from basic combustibles like paper and cloth. Foam extinguishers can also be used on Class B fires resulting from flammable liquids such as gas and oil.

Carbon Monoxide: Carbon monoxide extinguishers eliminate the oxygen source from the fire and suppress the heat with cold. They’re designed to put out Class B and C fires. Class C fires are caused by electrical items, such as motors and appliances.

Dry Chemical: Dry chemical extinguishers suppress the fire’s chemical reaction. They are highly effective on Class A, B, and C fires.

Wet Chemical: Wet chemical extinguishers work by deteriorating the heat source and forming a barrier between the oxygen and fuel. This prevents the fire from reigniting. It’s effective on Class K fires, or those that develop from greases and cooking oils.

Dry Powder: Dry powder separates oxygen from the fuel and kills the fire’s heat element. It can only be used to douse a Class D fire, which involves combustible metals such as aluminum and sodium.

Clean Agent: Also known as a halogenated fire extinguisher, the clean agent breaks up the chemical reaction within the fire. It’s safe to use on Classes B and C, although larger units are also appropriate to use on Class A fires.

Water Mist: Water mist extinguishers stop the fire’s heat element. They’re sometimes used instead of halogenated extinguishers and can be used for Class A and C fires.

Northland Fire is the leading source of fire protection equipment and security systems in the upper midwest. We carry a broad range of fire extinguishers and other fire suppression equipment. For more information, visit our website.

inspection tag on fire extinguisher being marked

Fire Safety: 4 Steps for a Quick Check of Your Fire Extinguishers

You probably never think about your fire extinguisher until there’s a fire. When you’re faced with an emergency, you don’t want to discover that your first line of defense isn’t working. Northland Fire’s fire protection equipment experts recommends checking your fire extinguishers once a month to make sure they are working properly any time you need it.

These fire equipment specialists suggest the following procedures to keep your fire suppression system in working order:

Check Access: Make sure your fire extinguisher isn’t blocked by furniture or other belongings, especially if it’s kept under a sink or in the laundry room. Also, ensure that everyone in your family knows where to find it in case a fire does break out.

Check The Tamper Seal: Look for the tamper or safety seals and make sure they’re still intact. While a broken seal doesn’t always indicate a problem, it might mean that your extinguisher has already been discharged or lacks the pressure to perform efficiently.

Check The Pressure: Most fire extinguishers feature a built-in pressure gauge with the proper pressure notated. A visual inspection will probably be sufficient, but some have a test indicator you should push to get a reading.

Check The Condition: Finally, look around the outside of the canister for signs of damage, corrosion, or leakage. If the nozzle or other components look damaged or untrustworthy, you should replace it.

The specialists at Northland Fire can help ensure that your fire extinguisher is ready to assist when you need it most. With years of experience serving commercial and industrial clients throughout the upper midwest, they have the equipment to meet challenges of any size, from fire alarm systems to sprinkler system installations.

fire extinguisher usage chart

Fire Extinguisher Guide: How They Work

Fire extinguishers provide the first line of defense in the event of a blaze incident involving commercial and residential buildings. However, investing in extinguishers won’t serve a purpose without learning how the fire protection equipment works. To help you understand these essential safety tools, Northland Fire shares some useful information about operating fire extinguishers.

How They Work

A fire cannot sustain itself without three essential elements: a heat source, oxygen, and fuel. Eliminating one of these factors diminishes the flame. Fire extinguishers employ this principle by getting rid of at least one of the elements keeping the blaze alight.

Their three main types target different sources of the fire to ensure protection for a building’s residents. Among these, water extinguishers are the most popular type and work by gradually eliminating heat from the fire.

Carbon dioxide-based fire protection equipment relies on the gaseous and liquefied form of this nonflammable material and helps manage a flame in two ways. It first absorbs all the oxygen from the blaze; then its cold temperature eliminates the heat.

A dry chemical extinguisher, the third and most practical type of fire extinguishing device, utilizes nitrogen gas in a compressed form. When put into action, the fire extinguisher sets off a jet of foam or dry, powdered nitrogen to react with oxygen and suppress the flame.

How to Operate

Operating fire extinguishers depends on how they channel the applied pressure and use it to set off a stream of fire-repellent substances. Water-based extinguishers possess an internal pressure mechanism that simply requires a tug at the safety ring before pulling the trigger.

The other two types need a cartridge to force the fire-suppressant materials onto the flame, which is typically a more complicated process. You can learn about safely operating and handling extinguisher devices by signing up for the detailed training sessions offered by Northland Fire & Safety.

When you need cutting-edge fire extinguishers for residential and commercial buildings, Northland Fire is up for the task. Learn more about their impressive fire sprinklers and other safety devices by visiting our website.

discharging fire extinguisher

3 Benefits of Fire Extinguishers

Whether the incident occurs in a restaurant or your own home, keeping fire extinguishers on-site can make all the difference in preventing small fires from turning into a four-alarm blaze. But do you really understand the full impact of this fire protection equipment? As the team at Northland Fire, explains, understanding the facts helps put the benefits of fire extinguishers into perspective.

1. Keeping Fires Under Control

Two European studies conducted in 2002 reviewed over 4,500 fire incidents and found fire extinguishers can be extremely effective in stopping flames before they grow out of control. Both studies found fire extinguishers were able to stop the fire in over 80% of recorded incidents, while also noting many others that are extinguished in this manner are never reported to the fire department in the first place.

2. Saving Lives

When the effectiveness of fire extinguishers is put in context of overall fire statistics, it becomes clear how much of a difference these tools can make. According to the NFPA, there were 15,700 injuries and 3,280 deaths as a result of property fires in the United States in 2015. These occurred as the result of over 1.3 million reported fires. When a fire extinguisher is able to confine the spread of a fire, it can literally save lives, especially in places with lots of people, like hotels and schools.

3. Protecting the Environment

Uncontrolled fires can also have a harmful effect on the environment by releasing carbon and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. By extinguishing the blaze early on, fire extinguishers help minimize the spread of pollutants while also saving the water firefighters would otherwise use to extinguish the blaze.

By providing and servicing fire extinguishers and other suppression systems, the team at Northland Fire will help you keep your property safe. To learn more about their products and services, visit them online.

extinguisher in kitchen

Why a Fire Extinguisher Should be a Part of Your Home Safety Plan

Your home’s fire extinguishers should never be treated as an afterthought. Northland Fire is the go-to source for all of your fire protection equipment. Not only do we offer new fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems to homeowners, we also have an extensive line of products designed for commercial facilities. There are many reasons why every home should have an operational and adequate fire extinguisher. In fact, this is one of the best preventive actions you can take to protect your family and your home.

Fire extinguishers are a wise investment and have considerable shelf lives. In a perfect world, you will never experience an emergency that requires a fire extinguisher, but the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have it is immeasurable. It isn’t something you replace every month; in fact, today’s fire extinguishers are good for ten or more years.

Modern fire extinguishers are made with chemicals that put the fire out but won’t damage or destroy other electrical appliances in your home or commercial property. Many people envision a fire extinguisher’s coverage is wide enough to take out the family computer, the microwave, television or other electrical appliances. That’s not always the case.

A fire extinguisher does not command a large storage space. Their compact designs make them a good fit near the areas where fires typically break out, such as near your stove.

You change the batteries in your smoke alarms on a regular basis, and you’ve created an escape plan with your family so that everyone can get out should a fire break out in your home. Isn’t a fire extinguisher just one more important aspect of your family’s protection plan? We invite you to reach out to Northland Fire to install and repair fire protection equipment in your home or office.