Fire Extinguishers Unleashed: How They Perform When It Matters Most

What are fire extinguishers?

Fire management equipment, particularly fire extinguishers, are ubiquitous in our daily lives. They are found adorning our workplaces, shopping centres, and even our homes. However, their prevalence doesn\’t necessarily translate into common usage. In fact, the sight of these life-saving devices being actively employed during an emergency can be quite a rarity. Yet, the true value of fire extinguishers comes to light precisely during these crisis situations.

In one such recent incident, a client operating a bustling commercial kitchen found themselves in a potentially disastrous situation. A fire broke out, threatening to transform the heart of their business into a dangerous inferno. Thankfully, due to quick thinking and readily available fire management equipment, they were able to utilise a dry powder fire extinguisher. It was a fire blanket and it swiftly control the situation. This highlights the crucial importance of having such equipment on hand.

Fire extinguishers, essential tools in any fire safety arsenal, are designed to combat different types of fires. The dry powder fire extinguisher, used in the aforementioned incident, is one of the most versatile types. It works by releasing a cloud of fine powder that suffocates the fire, making it an effective solution for most fire classes, including those involving flammable gases, liquids, and electrical fires.

On the other hand, a fire blanket serves a unique role. It is a safety device designed to extinguish incipient (starting) fires. Made from fire-resistant materials, these blankets are particularly effective in situations where it would be risky to use a fire extinguisher, such as fat or oil fires in kitchens.

When these two pieces of equipment were used, the potential disaster was quickly contained, averting harm and damage. Post this event, we were contacted to replace the used equipment, ensuring the kitchen\’s fire safety readiness was swiftly restored.

Fire blanket

Fire blankets are a crucial element in fire safety, especially in environments such as kitchens where there\’s a high risk of oil or fat fires. Made from fire-resistant materials like woven fibreglass, these blankets work by smothering and isolating the fire, cutting off its oxygen supply, and thereby effectively extinguishing it.

Often housed in a quick-release container for ease of access, fire blankets are simple to use, even for those with no prior fire safety training. Besides their primary use, they can also offer protection when escaping from a fire by wrapping it around oneself. Though typically used for smaller, starting fires, a fire blanket\’s value in preventing a fire from escalating can\’t be underestimated.

This fire blanket was quickly and effectively deployed. It was hanging nearby the fire and the kitchen staff quickly pulled the two straps as intended, to release the blanket and spread it quickly over the fire. In this case, only scorch marks on the blanket remain.

The red pack shows how to get hold of your blanket; and how to re-fold the fire blanket, but this is not required as the fire blanket should be disposed of after use.

PULL TAGS DOWN TO RELEASE BLANKET

For effective use the fire blanket must be mounted by hanging it from above, within easy reach, and with no obstruction to quick access.

The blanket must comply with AS/NZS 3504. Nevertheless most fire blankets we see were made in China.

Below is the commonly available Aldi product, which of course, still complies with the standard. It is used in exactly the same way. Again – these are NOT to be re-folded after use, but discarded.

How can we help?

Call us on 1300 134 971.

We can confirm your fire blankets and other fire extinguishers are code compliant and properly mounted. We will arrange to check them on a regular basis and replace them quickly if they are used (following your call) or if they are found to be out of date.