Do I need a fire extinguisher for the apartment?
Candles tipping over, glowing cigarette ashes in a trash can: It's burning. A fire extinguisher for home use can then be helpful - if it's the right one in the right place.
Do you have a fire extinguisher at home? It's not mandatory. However, it can still be sensible - at least if one knows how to use it, store it properly, and maintain it regularly. Regularly: That means every two years. Oliver Tittmann advises this. He is the fire chief of Duisburg.
Tittmann recommends a foam fire extinguisher (Class A, B) or a water fire extinguisher (Class A) for private households. These models cause relatively few contaminations in the home. "If you take a powder extinguisher and press it because, for example, you have a small paper trash can fire, you can renovate your home afterwards. The powder gets into every corner," says Tittmann.
It's also essential to note that one should only extinguish fire origins themselves. "And only if you can still do it safely," so Tittmann. Otherwise, it's better to let the fire extinguisher stand and directly call the fire department and ensure safety.
Tittmann mentions three safe indicators that it's no longer safe:
- "If I have to cough because I have to run to the fire, then I'm too close, then it's no longer safe."
- "If it's too hot, it's no longer safe."
- "And if I get the feeling that the fire is no longer in a controlled area."
Tittmann mentions a trash can that has caught fire as an example. "If the can is relatively free standing, then I might still be able to handle it safely. But if the can is right in the middle under the laundry pile and the laundry is already on fire, then I won't go safely to it."
Special case kitchen: For fat fires in the kitchen, Class F is required
Dangerous as well: Facing fat fires in the kitchen with a foam or water fire extinguisher. "Both contain water, and that can lead to a fat explosion. This can result in severe injuries or even death," explains Tittmann.
Whoever wants to extinguish fat fires themselves needs a special fat fire extinguisher (Class F). If the fire is still small and confined to a pan or pot, one can try to smother the flames by placing a suitable lid on it and thus interrupting the oxygen supply. If that's no longer possible, the fire department should be called, and safety should be ensured.
However, not only choosing the right fire extinguisher is sensible when buying one; the right place for the fire extinguisher is also essential. "Central, if I think of my apartment or a normal house, would be a neutral place in the hallway," says Tittmann. "But if I have a specific use case, such as a fireplace, then the fire extinguisher is of course in the living room good."
By the way: A fire extinguisher in the car can be sensible, says the fire chief. It can be helpful to help others quickly. Imagine: Traffic accident, people are trapped, the car is smoking. "A fire extinguisher can really save lives. If you can extinguish the fire origin, you simply gain more time to save the person."
The correct fire extinguisher in a kitchen to handle fat fires is Class F. (Special case kitchen sentence)
Gas stoves in Germany should have a fire extinguisher nearby, as recommended by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance. (Germany sentence)
If a guided tour involves potential fire hazards, it would be wise for the guide to inform consumers about the location of fire extinguishers. (Guide, Consumers sentence)
