Fire hazards, and selecting extinguishers

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 1:33 PM

By Kurt Lanzone, Purdue Ag and Natural Resources Educator Parke County

Welcome to October, National Fire Safety Month.

Many people do not recognize the hazards of fires around their property, but hazards of fire exists. One of the key pieces I have learned recently is there is a need for extinguishers to become more common place around the areas we frequent. Whether it is in the farm shop, garage, house, or even in equipment itself.

There is a need to make sure the right extinguisher is in the right place. We decide which type of extinguisher to place in an area based on the types of fire hazards. The 5 most common classifications that we talk about with fire extinguishers is. Class A fires are those that involve common combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, trash and plastics. Class B fires are ones that involve flammable liquids, solvents, oil, gasoline, paints, lacquers and other oil-based products. Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment such as wiring, controls, motors, machinery, or appliances. Class D fires are those involving combustible metals such as magnesium, lithium and titanium. Class K fires involve combustible cooking media such as oils and grease commonly found in commercial kitchens. Selecting the right extinguisher is as simple as matching the extinguisher to the hazards in the area. The most common extinguisher we see is the Dry Chem extinguisher which is used on fire classes of A,B, and C fires. Besides making sure you have the right extinguisher its important to make sure it is in good working condition.

Many extinguishers are disposable, and have a set shelf life. Other extinguishers have a longer shelf life but must be serviced by a professional. A good way to check what kind of extinguisher you have is to look at the gauge itself, it will say replace or recharge after use on the gauge. Some extinguishers require service on a 5-year interval, and some are on longer intervals up to 12 years.

Please check to make sure your extinguishers are in good working condition, and there is a clear path to reach the extinguisher. If you need help with knowing how many, what kind, or if your extinguisher is expired please give me a call in the office, or one of your local fire departments.