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Fire safety Formula 3 - 4 - 6

" Stop the Fire ! Before it start ! "

(3)

Three elements of Fire

Before you can recognize fire hazards. You need to know something about fire.
What conditions need to be present before a fire can start ? Basically,
Three things need to be present before a fire can start.

1.) OXYGEN
There must be a supply of oxygen. Oxygen, as you probably know, is in the air around us.

2.) FUEL
You must have a material which will burn. We will get into this in greater detail later,
but you may be surprised
at the number of things which can burn.

3.) HEAT
The material must be heated to a temperature where it will burn. This temperature is
usually called the kindling temperature.
Some materials will burn at very low temperatures.
Others must be heated to very high temperatures before they will burn.

It is very important that you remember these three things. They can help you to recognize

fire hazards. And, they can also be used to put out a fire.
Remove any of these three things, and the fire goes out.

(4)

Four Classes of fires

Fire experts divide fires into four different groups. These groups are called "classes."
And, you will learn that different methods are used to put out each different class of fire.
It is very important that you know these different classes of fires so that you will be able to select
the proper method for putting each kind of fire out.

1.) Class "A" Fires

Class "A" fires are the ordinary fires which you are most familiar with.
These are fires which leave an ash. Wood, cloth, paper, leaves,
and rubbish are good examples of Class "A" fire materials. The fire in your fire-place is a
Class "A" fire.

The best way to put out a Class "A" fire is to use water. Water helps to remove two of the three things which are necessary before a Class "A" fire can burn. First, water cools the burning material down below the temperature where it will burn. Second, water coats the burning material and keeps oxygen away. Without oxygen. The fire quickly goes out.

2.)Class "B" Fires

These are fires involving highly flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil,
paint thinner and naphtha.
The starter fluid you pour on your outdoor barbecue is a good example of a Class "B" fire.
These materials will usually burn at fairly low temperatures. Because of this,
the best way to put these fires out is to remove the supply of oxygen.
This is usually done by using a fire extinguisher which blankets the fire with a layer of foam,
or some other material which will not burn.

3.) Class "C" Fires

These are fires involving electrical equipment. These can be very dangerous
because you can receive
a serious electrical shock if you try to put the fire out in the wrong way.
You must use an extinguisher which will not conduct electricity in order to put these fires out,

unless the electricity
to the burning material has been turned off. You might find a Class "C" fire in a fuse box
or an electric motor. These fires should be put out with a Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher.
Don't use a water extinguisher. The electricity can follow the stream of water
right back to you,
and you could receive a serious or fatal shock.

4.) Class "D" Fires

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These are fires involving flammable metals. These fires must be put out with dry
chemicals fire extinguishers
which have been filled with special chemicals.
These extinguishers help to keep oxygen away from the burning materials.
Many different kinds of metal will burn if they get hot enough.