On this date in 1863 a Fire Extinguisher was patented by Alanson Crane. 10 things you might not know about fire extinguishers:
Alanson Crane didn’t invent the Fire extinguisher, but patented a new type. Fire extinguishers already existed before that. The first ever mentioned dates back to 1723 and was invented by Ambrose Godfrey, a celebrated chemist. The means by which the fire extinguishing substance was expelled was a system of fuses and, wait for it, Gunpowder! There’s at least one newspaper report, in Bradley's Weekly Messenger in 1729, which mentions that this device was efficient in helping put out a fire in London.
Captain George William Manby invented another, called the 'Extincteur', which he demonstrated in 1816 to the 'Commissioners for the affairs of Barracks'. His device contained 3 gallons (13.6 litres) of pearl ash (potassium carbonate) solution and compressed air in a Copper container.
The chemical foam extinguisher was invented in 1904 by Aleksandr Loran in Russia, based on his previous invention of fire fighting foam.
Another type which actually existed was a “fire grenade”. This consisted of a glass sphere filled with carbon tetrachloride (CTC) which could be used for electrical and liquid fires. Basically, one would just lob the thing at the fire. The problem was that CTC is highly toxic to start with, and when used on a fire would turn into phosgene gas, which has been used as a chemical weapon.
The carbon dioxide extinguisher was invented in 1924 by Walter Kidde Company. The specific type of fire it was created to deal with was fires in telephone switchboards. These extinguishers are still in use today and can be found in offices for use on electrical fires. They are also the extinguisher of choice for the movie industry, when they need to extinguish a burning stunt person.
There are five different types of extinguisher that you might find in a workplace or public area. It matters which one you use, as using the wrong type can actually make things worse. The classes are: Class A: For ordinary combustibles like wood, Paper, and cloth; Class B: For flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, or paint.; Class C: For electrical fires; Class D: For fires involving flammable metals, like Magnesium or titanium (not one most people will come across that often); and Class K: For cooking oils and fats.
Rather than having to waste time finding and reading instructions, there’s an acronym to help you remember what to do: PASS. Pull the pin to unlock the device; Aim the nozzle at the fire; Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing substance; and Sweep from side to side: Cover the entire area of the fire until it’s out. Unless it’s a large, out of control fire in which case the best thing to do is leave the building and call the fire brigade.
Typically, fire extinguishers last between 5 to 15 years depending on the type and make. They will need replacing in due course, and in the mean time, they need to be maintained regularly to make sure they will work properly when required.
Handheld extinguishers weigh from 0.5 to 14 kilograms (1.1 to 30.9 lb), so are easily portable by hand.
Some locations, such as construction sites, airport runways, heliports, docks and marinas often have heavier extinguishers 23 kilograms (51 lb) which are mounted on wheeled carts.
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