How to operate a portable fire extinguisher
There are four basic steps to operating a portable fire extinguisher. An easy way to remember the procedure is to think of the word “PASS”.
Pull the pin: Holding the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, break the seal and release the locking mechanism.
Aim low: Point the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire – the lowest point of the fire nearest to you. Extinguishers are designed to be operated in the upright position. Always hold the extinguisher vertically. Never cradle horizontally.
Squeeze: Squeeze the discharge lever slowly and evenly. This will release the extinguishing agent and expel it through the nozzle.
Sweep from side to side: As the extinguishing agent is expelled, sweep the nozzle from side to side – “driving the fire back” As the fire closest to you goes out, you may move closer to the fire and continue the sweeping motion until the fire is extinguished. If the fire does not go out immediately, get out of the building.
It is recommended that when a small fire breaks out, someone calls the fire department immediately. You may not be able to put out the fire with your portable extinguisher and waiting before calling the fire department would waste valuable time. The fire department should inspect all fires even after they have been extinguished, because it is standard procedure for most fire departments to respond to any call by dispatching a fully staffed fire truck to the scene, some people might feel this step is unnecessary, but from the fire department’s point of view, it is better to prevent a small fire from re-igniting than to deal with a full-blown fire emergency.