Determining How To Safely Put Out A Fire At Your Business

7 August 2017
 Categories: Business, Blog

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When smoke starts to billow and you can feel the temperature rising, your workplace fire safety training will instantly kick in. Sometimes it is safest to evacuate a building immediately, but other times you can quickly grab a fire extinguisher and help to end the fire emergency in its tracks. When battling flames in an enclosed building or place of business it is crucial to know what tools will be effective. Fires that grow quickly and spread fast can only be put out with fire sprinklers or a fireman's hose, while Class-C fire extinguishers can are recommended for neutralizing small fires that originate in electronics as well as faulty wiring.

Trace the Source of the Fire

If you are sitting in an office and hear the crackle just before a flame ignites you should be able to look around and figure out how the fire got started in the first place. Fires that comes out of the wall usually indicates an electrical wiring fire hazard. When sparks fly out of a wastebasket, the fire is likely the result of a lit cigarette, matches, or something else that was too hot to be disposed of on top of a pile of discarded paper. You should know how the fire was started so that you can use the right class fire extinguisher.

Locate Fire Emergency Supplies

Whether you think that you will need a fire blanket to put out the flames or a fire extinguisher to create a path to the nearest exit, you have to think fast to locate the supplies needed to manage a fire emergency. That small fire extinguisher you keep under your desk could be very critical during a fire at the office, so check all locations for supplies often to ensure that they are functional and have not expired.

Keep a Mental Note of the Time

Although fires only take a split second to break out, time can move quickly as you ascertain the situation and look for a fire extinguisher. If you haven't made any progress putting the fire out in approximately 30 seconds, you will absolutely need the assistance of emergency professionals. As you keep track of the time, don't forget about maintaining a clear path to the emergency exit. Leaving the scene of a fire before you suffer from the effects of smoke inhalation or risk becoming burned is more important than successfully putting out a fire on your own.

Contact a company like Tri County Fire Protection for more information and assistance.