Make Fire extinguishers part of your home safety plan

2/16/2021 (Permalink)

Just don't have a fire extinguisher, know how to use it properly

SERVPRO of Streamwood, Bartlett, West Chicago & Warrenville encourages every household to have a home safety plan that focuses on both preventing fires and responding to a fire should one occur. Fire extinguishers are an important part of this plan. Fire extinguishers are your second line of defense behind a smoke detector and can be the difference between a small inconvenience and a life-changing event.

It is important to not just hang your extinguisher on the wall or in the cupboard. Plan ahead, read the instruction manual, and know your extinguisher’s capabilities before use. Portable extinguishers are useful for putting out small fires but recognize your limits and the limits of the extinguisher.

Doing a “quick check” is a brief inspection to determine that a fire extinguisher is available and will operate, when, and if it is needed. The purpose is to give you reasonable assurance that the fire extinguisher is fully charged and operable. This is done by verifying that the fire extinguisher is in its designated place, that it has not been discharged or tampered with, and that there is no obvious physical damage or condition to prevent its operation.