Questions you were afraid to ask...write them down

[Cinder & Smoke]

I went to have another look at my fire extinguisher, and here it is >>>

Randi's extinguisher is a CO2 (Carbon Di-Oxide) type ( Note the "CO2" stamping
on the upper neck of the heavy cylinder.)
There is NO pressure gauge, and it has a rigid, large diameter discharge opening.

In the USA, these extinguishers are required have a formal Hydrostatic Test
every FIVE years - an expensive test!

I pull the little thing out connected to the chain and simply press the “tricker”
and the foam - or whatever, will blast out on the opposite side.

I do wonder what will come out of it, but I could take it down in the yard and see.

On the other side of it, it has:
A (wood, paper, textiles) **A is crossed out**
B (burnable liquids) (gasses)
C Electrical installations

A is crossed out. Does that mean I shouldn't use it on those materials?
I think John said it would be good on computers.

1) You shouldn't "TEST" any type of extinguisher by *Pulling its Pin* and then
operating the "tricker" (or trigger) to "see if anything comes out"!
ALL extinguishers are intended for a ONE-Time application of their contents on
a SINGLE fire event ... THEN they must be cleaned and refilled with fresh agent.
NO extinguisher can be relied upon to Properly RE-seal and maintain its internal
operating pressure after a "short burst" operation ... a "quick squeeze" to
"see if it works" can result in a completely DE-pressurized extinguisher a few days later!

2) Randi's CO2 extinguisher discharges a COLD Gas - CO2 - that displaces the Oxygen
at the fire and cools the burning materials. Some say it looks like "snow".

3) The "crossed out A" means that the CO2 type extinguisher is NOT suitable
for use on "Class A" fires - fires in wood, paper and fabrics.
A CO2 extinguisher is used for Grease, Oil, and Gasoline (Class B) fires and fires
involving electrical equipment (Class C).

/s/ Phred

[momoffuzzyfaces]

When you drop a piece of toast and jelly, why does it always land jelly side down? (specially on carpet?)

[Randi]

Thanks Phred! I just keep learning more and more about this - I'll end up a real PRO!

I'm glad you told me I should not test it, I might have done. I had no idea it could be used only once.

It makes sense it looks like snow, as it says "sneslukker" on it. Sne=snow. So what comes out will be very cold I take it. Fister better not be around, or he'll freeze to death!

I suppose you could say my bed is made of fabrics, but that's obviously not what to use it on, although I would give it try if it was on fire. I suppose John expected me to start a fire in the kitchen, or some of the electrical equipment.

Thanks for this important info, Phred!


MOFF! Because the heavy side will always land face down - so just don't put so much jelly on your toast!

[Cinder & Smoke]

I'm glad you told me I should not test it, I might have done that.
I had no idea it could be used only once.

It makes sense it looks like snow, as it says "sneslukker" on it. Sne=snow.
So what comes out will be very cold, I take it.

Cold? ... Yuppers, REAL COLD!

"Testing" an extinguisher can have several meanings ...
ALL extinguishers need to be examined / inspected frequently ... just NOT "operated".

CO2 Extinguishers (like Randi's) get routine "inspections" by being WEIGHED on
a very accurate scale and the weight compared to the marked Full Weight.
CO2 extinguishers have a very heavy container - the difference between the
full weight and the Totally Empty weight is not a big difference.

Most extinguishers CAN be used then cleaned & refilled MANY Times ...
BUT they need to be cleaned & refilled by an "Extinguisher Technician" after
EVERY use or whenever the "seal" is broken on the operating trigger or lever.

WHY?
Even a very short operation or discharge allows some of the dry chemical (powder) or
the CO2 GAS (and sometimes bits of ice) to contaminate the valve sealing surfaces ...
potentially allowing the internal pressure to leak off.

The recharge Technician must bleed off any remaining pressure, disassemble the valve,
and CLEAN it before reassembling the valve onto the extinguisher.
Usually a refilled unit is kept for observation for at least 24 hours -
even carefully cleaned valves can be "leakers"!

An exception to the "can be cleaned & refilled MANY Times" theory ...
This is NOT true for the Super-Cheap discount store "specials" that usually
sell for $9.95 or so ... THOSE lil jems are made with plastic valves that
have a hard time leaving the factory without leaking! Hardly ANY extinguisher
refillers will even look at one of those units - they ARE for One-Time use followed
by a trip to the trash can. Pay more than $25.00 and you may be buying a
brass-valved, honestly RE-fillable dry chemical extinguisher.

No matter how much you spend on extinguishers - they're WORTH every penny!
Consider Pat's (cyber-sibes) recent "experience" ...
ONE lil extinguisher *saved* her $150,000+ house - not counting the contents!
Really PAYS to buy a few, LEARN how to use 'em, and keep them inspected & serviced.

But, as always, Dial 9-1-1 FIRST, and invite us Fire Guys ...
we LIKE drivin our BRTs!

[cyber-sibes]

No matter how much you spend on extinguishers - they're WORTH every penny!
Consider Pat's (cyber-sibes) recent "experience" ...
ONE lil extinguisher *saved* her $150,000+ house - not counting the contents!
Really PAYS to buy a few, LEARN how to use 'em, and keep them inspected & serviced.

But, as always, Dial 9-1-1 FIRST, and invite us Fire Guys ...
we LIKE drivin our BRTs!

ABSOLUTELY! I don't even want to think about how bad it could have been last Monday. And, thanks to your additional info, Phred, I'm putting in an insurance claim. The clean-up guys said the biggest problem was that all the smoke, soot, & dry chemicals are being "recycled" by the furnace, even though the fireguys blew out of the house. I never considered that the furnace ducts would have to be cleaned out. I now see the soot streaks on walls & ceilings, besides all the residue on all my furniture.
*I don't mean to be hijacking this thread* but this whole fire extinguisher thing is SO important. I might not even be here posting on PT if it weren't for that little 8-yr. old extinguisher we've been hauling around! Could have lost my computer, or worse.

[Roxyluvsme13]

When you drop a piece of toast and jelly, why does it always land jelly side down? (specially on carpet?)

The jelly side is heavier?

[lvpets2002]

I thought it landed face down on carpet so you could have some fiber = Cat Hair.. That is if you are at my house..

When you drop a piece of toast and jelly, why does it always land jelly side down? (specially on carpet?)

[Dorothy39]

Moff, all calculations have been tallied out,and, it's final!!! The jelly just makes the toast "heavy" on one side So, be careful from now on!!!!

[ChrisH]

Phred, thank you so much for the fire extinguisher advice. I don't even have one, after reading I will make getting one high priority.

[cassiesmom]

When you drop a piece of toast and jelly, why does it always land jelly side down? (specially on carpet?)

At my house, it's because the light colored kitchen floor is a magnet for anything, of any color, that has the potential to be dropped on it! Same thing with the carpet.

[smokey the elder]

"The likelihood of toast landing jelly side down is proportional to the cost of the carpet."-unknown

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Well, I've noticed bread/toast lands face down if it's just wearing butter too!!! I think my floor must be a magnet for gooy stuff!

[slick]

I was out this morning doing all kinds of errands and when I got home I put my groceries away and settled down in front of the computer. It was about 3:15 and I was tired so I laid down for a nap.

I dreamt I was in my living room and it had a brick fireplace. The fire was roaring and it got a bit out of control. I opened up the balcony door but the smoke kept spreading even though the flames were contained within the fireplace. In my dream I said to myself "What would Phred do??? He said to call 911 first then tackle the fire..." I was dialing 911 when I woke up.

See Phred??? Your lessons are even embedded in my dreams....

[Dorothy39]

So, I'm not the only person who has "Pet Talk Members" in their dreams~

[Cinder & Smoke]

In my dream I said to myself "What would Phred do???
He said to call 911 first then tackle the fire..."

I was dialing 911 when I woke up.

Hope you got hung up before you finished the 9-1-1 ...

MANY places when you dial 9-1-1 you'd better have a crisis to expound upon ...
Telling the Call-Taker "The fire in my dream went out when I grabbed my extinguisher" ...
would be Guaranteed to be answered by the nearest Patrol Cop!

Around here, there's about 4 ways they respond to ALL 9-1-1 calls ...
* Send a Cop
* Send the Fire Guys
* Send a Medic
* Send a Cop - with a bad attitude and a Lecture on when NOT to dial 9-1-1!

You dial 9-1-1 and you're gonna SEE somebody ... there's NO Way to talk that
Call-Taker out of sending SOMEone to your house!
And the more far-out your lame excuse for dialing 9-1-1 is - the quicker they're
going to get there!

And then there are the "timid" callers ...
Example:

9-1-1 Dispatcher: 9-1-1; do you have a Police, Fire, or Medical EMERGENCY?
Caller: Hi, sorry to bother you.
Dispatcher: No bother - WHAT's your EMERGENCY, m'am?
Caller: Oh, I don't think it's an emergency ... is the Fire Dept "busy"?
Disp: We always have crews available - WHAT is your PROBLEM?
Caller: I hate to bother them ... but could they maybe stop by sometime and take a look?
Disp: (becoming just a bit *tense*) M'am, this is an EMERGENCY line - do you have an Emergency?
Caller: Well, I don't think so - but I'm not sure ... that's why I asked if the Firefighters
. . were busy ... I'd hate to bother them if they're busy ...
Disp: (now past her breaking point) M'am! TELL me WHAT's WRONG!!!
Caller: Well, I don't know if anything is "wrong" - that's whay I'd like to know if one of the Firefighters
could stop by and check to see if I do have a problem ... if they're not too busy ...

The actual call went on for anothe two or three cat 'n mouse exchanges between the
caller and the totally frustrated 9-1-1 Call Taker ...
who had "transferred" the live call to our Fire Dispatcher.

Between the two dispatchers, after they re-phrased "What's Wrong?" and "What do you
want them to *check*?" another two or three ways, this is what finally was offered ...

Caller: Well, when I opened my basement door to go down and start my laundry,
I saw something I've never seen in my basement ...
Disp: WHAT DID YOU SEE, m'am?
Caller: Well, I saw the Smoke! - Or, I think it might BE smoke ... it Smells like smoke! It's black ...

Our Fire Dispatcher was a bit shocked ... "Son of a BIT**!"
- - - - ... Berlin Fire to your Station;
STRUCTURE FIRE; -bEEp> - - - ... Elsworth Fire mutual aid Berlin, Structure Fire ... no address available yet!

Caller: I just don't know what to do ... would they mind stopping by?

Fire Disp: They won't "mind" a bit m'am ... matter of fact, thery're ON Their WAY ...
now could you please tell me your ADDRESS?

She was STILL yammering with our Dispatcher when the first Engine pulled up!

We "checked it out" with 4 Engines, 2 Tankers, a Rescue, and a Medic Unit!
It wasn't a bad fire; but her oil furnace had malfunctioned and failed to light;
then pumped oil into the fire box and out into the furnace shell;
then did ignite ... bonfire in the furnace where it wasn't "supposed" to be burning!

She was STILL worried that she'd "bothered" us while I was writing the report.