Types of fire extinguishers according to the extinguishing agent
- Water extinguisher.
- ABC Powder extinguisher.
- CO2 extinguisher.
- Sprayed water.
- AFFF foam.
- Metal extinguisher.
Fire is classified into different classes, and not all of them can be extinguished with the same extinguishing agent. Therefore, for each class of fire, there are different types of fire extinguishers.
Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher can be a matter of life or death. Fires occur in almost any environment in our daily lives, and being able to face them can save your life.
Fire is classified into different types, according to the fuel or material in which it originates. The most common ones are type A, B, and C, with solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels. There are also others such as type D (metals) or type F, used to classify fires in kitchens.
What types of fire extinguishers are there for each fire?
Just as not all fires are the same, neither are the extinguishing agents used to combat them. These are the most common types of fire extinguishers:
Water extinguisher
Suitable for class A fires. You should never use it if there is an electrical current present in the area, as electrocution may occur.
ABC Powder extinguisher
Used in type A, B, and C fires. This powder does not conduct electricity, so it is suitable when there is an electrical component.
The ABC extinguisher is one of the most used types of fire extinguishers. Its ability to extinguish fires of different classes and its dielectric nature make it very versatile.
CO2 extinguisher
Especially useful for class B fires, although it is also used in class A or C fires. This type extinguishes by suffocation, although indoors there may be some risk when displacing oxygen. If there is wind, it may lose some effectiveness. Like the powder extinguisher, these types of fire extinguishers do not conduct electricity, so you can use them if there is an electrical current.
Water mist extinguisher
Usually used in class A and B fires.
Foam extinguisher
You can use it to fight A, B, and F fire types.
Metal extinguisher: type D
It is a specific extinguisher for fires involving metals, such as sodium or magnesium.
Knowing and practicing the use of the different types of fire extinguishers is important, but it is not always easy to achieve.
How to train in the use of different types of fire extinguishers
Training for this type of decision-making based on each fire is an ideal situation. Unfortunately, having all the types of fire extinguishers to practice with can be costly. In addition, lighting different types of fires to learn how to fight them is complex. How can you train to choose the right type of extinguisher simply and effectively?
Technologies such as virtual reality (VR) have arrived to offer a solution. VR simulations allow virtual fires to be recreated in different scenarios, so that students can learn to fight them. Living that realistic experience in first person makes them experience sensations and retain information.
Within a simulation, the trainer can propose different scenarios and types of fire, or have the student choose between several types of fire extinguishers. This helps train decision-making, with the possibility of making mistakes and suffering virtual accidents.
By not having to acquire all types of fire extinguishers and recharge them after each use, savings are exponential.
Are you interested in providing fire extinguishing trainings with virtual reality? You can contact us in the following link.
