Your fire extinguisher’s pressure gauge should be checked monthly to be sure that the extinguisher is holding pressure. The monthly checks can be made by you or someone assigned to do so in your business. The monthly checks should be documented.

Also, the fire extinguisher should be inspected and certified annually by a fire protection equipment company. A complete breakdown and internal inspection must be done every 6 years. Both the annual and 6 year inspections shall be done by a fire protection equipment company. Contact Fire Solutions NW today at 1-855-876-3473 for a free estimate.

Pull the Pin at the top of the extinguisher. The pin releases a locking mechanism and will allow you to discharge the extinguisher.

Aim at the base of the fire, not the flames. This is important – in order to put out the fire, you must extinguish the fuel.

Squeeze the lever slowly. This will release the extinguishing agent in the extinguisher. If the handle is released, the discharge will stop.

Sweep from side to side. Using a sweeping motion, move the fire extinguisher back and forth until the fire is completely out. Operate the extinguisher from a safe distance, several feet away, and then move towards the fire once it starts to diminish. Be sure to read the instructions on your fire extinguisher – different fire extinguishers recommend operating them from different distances. Remember: Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames!!!!

You need to have a clear understanding as to how fire sprinkler systems work in order to have clear expectations about what it can do especially during emergencies.

When a fire starts, the resulting smoke will eventually set off a smoke detector alerting residents to danger. This process can be quite slow depending on where the smoke detector is located. Meanwhile, the fire is growing. Alerting residents to the presence of fire is important. But, so is putting the fire out. When a fire starts, it quickly heats the air directly above it. This air rises and is pushed out to either side when it hits the ceiling. As this hot air reaches a sprinkler head, that sprinkler head is activated.

Not just any heat source will trigger a sprinkler system to activate. The sprinkler heads must detect a high enough temperature — usually between 135 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit (57 to 74 Celsius). Most sprinkler heads are equipped with a glass trigger filled with a glycerin-based liquid that expands at the appropriate temperature, breaking the glass and activating the sprinkler head. The sprinkler head is attached to a system of pipes that are hidden behind the walls or ceiling. These pipes wind through the building and outside to connect with a reliable water source. When the sprinkler head is triggered, a valve to the pipe system is opened, releasing the water that is kept under pressure from the pipes. The water is quickly pushed out of the pipes through the sprinkler head, spraying water downward and out to the sides. This carefully designed spray of water extinguishes the fire below and prevents it from spreading.

Your fire sprinkler system should be inspected annually, by a certified and properly licensed inspection company, such as Fire Solutions NW. Your local authority or insurance carrier may mandate more frequent inspections.