Co2 Fire Extinguisher Research
Introduction to Fire Protection and Emergency Services
THE CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS
You wake to a strong smell of burnt wood, and your vision is blurred to the point you aren’t quite sure whether or not you are in a dream, or if this is truly happening to you. As you jump out of bed the floor feels warmer against your bare feet than normal and it hits you what is occurring- your home is on fire. You sprint to the door and feel the handle; it is cold to the touch so you swing open the door, anxiety and adrenaline coursing in every action you perform. With the door open, you notice an object strapped to your wall, an object you overlook every day but for this day, its existence fills you with hope. You sprint to the wall and rip the object of the wall, and head downstairs to see what burning inferno awaits you. As you reach the landing and turn you see what has caused the massive amount of smoke and heat- the curtains have erupted in flames directly above a power outlet, smothered by an overabundance of extension cords and power strips. Using the apparatus in your hands, you follow its simple instructions, aim its hose, and pull the trigger. In mere minutes the fire has been smothered and your house is no longer in jeopardy of being engulfed in flames. You crumple to the floor and take a much needed, smoke-free breath of relief as you stare at the instrument that potentially saved your life- your fire extinguisher. This normal, house-hold item can be found in almost every house across the U.S., but how much do we really know about this object, or its capabilities? In this report, I will talk about the functions and use of the household fire extinguisher, more specifically, the CO2 fire extinguisher.
Fire extinguishers have the common misconception of being relatively new technology, which is simply not the case. The first fire extinguisher has been around since the early 18th century in England. A chemist by the name of Ambrose Godfrey
THE CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS
You wake to a strong smell of burnt wood, and your vision is blurred to the point you aren’t quite sure whether or not you are in a dream, or if this is truly happening to you. As you jump out of bed the floor feels warmer against your bare feet than normal and it hits you what is occurring- your home is on fire. You sprint to the door and feel the handle; it is cold to the touch so you swing open the door, anxiety and adrenaline coursing in every action you perform. With the door open, you notice an object strapped to your wall, an object you overlook every day but for this day, its existence fills you with hope. You sprint to the wall and rip the object of the wall, and head downstairs to see what burning inferno awaits you. As you reach the landing and turn you see what has caused the massive amount of smoke and heat- the curtains have erupted in flames directly above a power outlet, smothered by an overabundance of extension cords and power strips. Using the apparatus in your hands, you follow its simple instructions, aim its hose, and pull the trigger. In mere minutes the fire has been smothered and your house is no longer in jeopardy of being engulfed in flames. You crumple to the floor and take a much needed, smoke-free breath of relief as you stare at the instrument that potentially saved your life- your fire extinguisher. This normal, house-hold item can be found in almost every house across the U.S., but how much do we really know about this object, or its capabilities? In this report, I will talk about the functions and use of the household fire extinguisher, more specifically, the CO2 fire extinguisher.
Fire extinguishers have the common misconception of being relatively new technology, which is simply not the case. The first fire extinguisher has been around since the early 18th century in England. A chemist by the name of Ambrose Godfrey