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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2019 23 Emergency Preparedness Committee Four Seasons residents may need to know how to put out small fires during an emergency or how to handle a disaster at their homes. This is because firefighters may be busy elsewhere. In this article, I will identify the four types of fire extinguishers, briefly explain the fire triangle, and explain PASS (point, aim, squeeze, and sweep). Fire extinguishers come in four individual types as well as the ABC combination extinguisher. The four types of extinguishers are as follows: A: Ordinary combustibles: paper, cloth, wood, rubber, and many plastics. B: Flammable liquids: such as oils, gasoline and combustible liquids (lighter fluid, kerosene). These burn on the surface as vapors. C: Energized electrical equipment (wiring, motors). When the electricity is turned off it becomes a class A fire. D: Combustible metals (aluminum, magnesium, titanium). FIRE TRIANGLE: Heat, fuel, and oxygen create a chemical reaction that causes fire. • HEAT: Heat is required to elevate the temperature of a material to its ignition point. • FUEL: The fuel for a fire may be a solid, liquid or gas. The type and quantity of the fuel will determine which method should be used to extinguish the fire. • OXYGEN: Most fires will burn vigorously in any atmosphere of at least 20 percent oxygen. Without oxygen, most fuels could be heated until vaporized, yet would not burn. These three elements working together create a chemical exothermic reaction, which is fire. If any of these elements are missing or if any are taken away, fire will not occur or will extinguish itself. Fire extinguisher questions: The answer to all four questions must be yes to fight the fire. Even if you answer yes to all of the questions but you feel unable to extinguish the fire you should leave immediately. 1. Can I escape quickly from the area if I attempt to extinguish the fire? 2. Do I have the right type of extinguisher? 3. Is the extinguisher large enough for the fire? 4. Is the area free from other dangers such as hazardous materials and falling debris? If the answer to all of these questions is yes and you decide to fight the fire you must use the PASS technique with the extinguisher. P- Pull the extinguisher pin. A- Aim the extinguisher towards the fire. S- Squeeze the trigger. S- Sweep the fire starting at the bottom. Mike Mendoza EPC Chairman wrote the article relying heavily on information from the city of Beaumont's CERT Training Manual. EPC meets on Tuesday, June 18, at 10 am in the RCN Conference Room. ~ Mike Mendoza, srmendoza@verizon.net