Many people who find the need to operate a fire extinguisher realize that theyve never actually read the directions on it and waste precious time by having to figure out how to use it. Some also neglect to replace one or have it refilled after its been used.

Its a good idea to familiarize yourself with it and learn how to use the extinguisher so you can react in an emergency. They arent complex to use but stopping to fiddle and read instructions could waste precious time during an emergency. A fire extinguisher wont extinguish forever so leaving the area is more important if the fire could get out of control.

There are also fire extinguishers that are specifically designed for certain fires. There can be different results based on what type of fire youre putting out, for example a grease fire instead of a fire in a trash bin or an electric fire instead of a grease fire.

In the US type A fires are average fires like wood or cloth, type B fires are flammable materials and type C are electrical fires. You wouldnt want to use water on a type C fire; theres a special type of extinguisher for that. By using the wrong extinguisher, you could make the fire worse or put your safety at risk.

By not leaving the scene early enough, you could also endanger yourself. A fire extinguisher doesnt make you a fire fighter so its best to give yourself an exit route and get out of the area if the fire cannot be contained quickly.

Most households have the need for the simple red fire extinguisher that helps with type A fires. Having a fire extinguisher near your kitchen and near any wood stove or fireplace is a good idea. Equip your RV and your garage or workshop with a fire extinguisher.

Safety is important and having a current and valid extinguisher is imperative. Once youve used it, you may either buy a new one or have it refilled. Its often more cost effective to buy a new one.

Take the time to learn how to use your fire extinguisher. Most new RVs come with a fire extinguisher or two and workplace safety requires that your company puts fire extinguishers or fire prevention products within easy reach and trains someone on health, fire safety and fire extinguisher safety.