When To Use A Fire Extinguisher

Fire extinguishers can be helpful on a small fire. Below is a checklist to help you prepare to use a fire extinguisher on a potential fire.

• Have I alerted others in the building that there’s a fire?
• Has someone called the fire department?
• Am I physically able to use a fire extinguisher?
• Is the fire small and contained in a single object (like a pan or a wastebasket)?
• Am I safe from the fire’s toxic smoke?
• Do I have a clear escape route?

Use a fire extinguisher when all of these questions are answered “yes.” If you’re unsure about whether or not it’s safe to use a fire extinguisher, and for all other situations, alert others, leave the building, and call 911 from a mobile or neighbor’s phone. It is not recommended that children use fire extinguishers.