Remember: P.A.S.S.

P - Pull the pin

A - Aim the nozzle at the base of the flames

S - Squeeze the trigger, holding the extinguisher upright

S - Sweep from side to side, pushing the fire away from you

Once the fire is out, BACK away, being prepared for the fire to re-ignite.

Select Your Extinguisher

Choose your extinguisher carefully. A fire extinguisher should bear the seal of an independent testing laboratory. It should also be labelled as to the type of fire it is intended to extinguish.

The extinguisher must be large enough to put out the fire. Most portable extinguishers discharge completely in as few as eight seconds.

Classes of fires: There are three basic classes of fires. All fire extinguishers are labelled with standard symbols for the classes of fires they can put out. A red slash through any of the symbols tells you the extinguisher cannot be used on that class fire. A missing symbol tells you only that the extinguisher has not been tested for use on a given class of fire.

Class A: Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics.

Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, grease, tar, oil-based paint, lacquer, and flammable gas.

Class C: Energized electrical equipment including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, machinery, and appliances.

Many household fire extinguishers are "multipurpose" A-B-C models, labelled for use on all three classes of fire. If you are ever faced with a Class A fire, and you don't have an extinguisher with an "A" symbol, don't hesitate to use one with the "B:C" symbols.

Warning: It is dangerous to use water or an extinguisher labelled only for Class A fires on a grease or electrical fire.

Extinguisher sizes: Portable extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating is a number from 1 to 40 for Class A fires and 1 to 640 for Class B fires. The rating will appear on the label. The larger the number, the larger the fire that the extinguisher can put out. Higher-rated models are often heavier. Make sure you can hold and operate the extinguisher. Extinguishers are rated 1A or 2A and/or 5B, 10B, or 20B. The "C" just indicates that you can use it on electrical fires.