To protect against unwanted but occasional fire incidents that we may encounter in our lives, fire extinguishers, readily available at our fingertips, are highly useful in controlling fires before they escalate and minimizing casualties and property damage.

Fire extinguishers should be used by experienced or trained personnel because they provide initial intervention in fires caused by various reasons. Reckless use can waste the opportunity for initial intervention.

In addition to manual intervention, fire extinguishers are also used in automatic fire extinguishing systems. While the common mission of all fire extinguishers is to intervene in fires and prevent them from spreading, different types of fire extinguishers with various contents should be used depending on the type of fire. Therefore, the content of the fire extinguisher should be selected based on the types of materials and work present in buildings. The safest way to do this is to work with certified companies and ensure that the products carry the TSE (Turkish Standards Institution) mark.

Types of Fire Extinguishers
arious types of fire extinguishers used in fires caused by various reasons should be installed based on the results of feasibility studies conducted in advance. Factors such as the type of burning material and the area it can affect are the most important factors determining which type of fire extinguisher to use. The most commonly used type of fire extinguisher is dry chemical powder and additional biological fire extinguishers.

Regardless of their content, the outer surface of all types of fire extinguishers is coated with fire-resistant electrostatic powder and tested at 25 bar pressure, and their resistance to various conditions is checked. Dry chemical powder fire extinguishers, which you can encounter in almost every building, are filled and tested according to TSE standards and are hung in the appropriate locations on the wall.

Dry Chemical Powder Fire Extinguishers
ry chemical powder fire extinguishers, used for Class A fires, are highly effective in extinguishing wood, timber, grass, textile fabric products, home textiles, curtains, and office materials. However, it is known not to be effective in rubber and cellulose fires.

In addition to being most effective in Class A fires, it is also effective in some materials of Class B fires. These materials include gasoline, benzene, diesel, varnish, thinner, acetone, paraffin, asphalt, glue, and alcohol. In addition, in some cases, it can be used to support the suppression of Class C fires. These types include natural gas, LPG, methane, hydrogen, propane, acetylene, electrical cables, transformers, power sources, information processing units, electrical and electronic products.

Eco-Biological Fire Extinguishers
n some fires, inexperienced personnel may think they have extinguished the fire and may not take any additional precautions. Research has shown that in some types of fires, due to the neglect of firefighting teams about the possibility of the fire rekindling, there have been casualties and property losses. In such fires, eco-biological fire extinguishers are very effective in preventing human-induced negligence and intervening in fires that may rekindle.

Unlike other fire extinguishers that smother flames but cannot prevent them from burning inside, eco-biological fire extinguishers not only prevent the fire from rekindling but also prevent damage to sensitive equipment. While the residues of other fire extinguishers are difficult to clean, eco-biological fire extinguishers are eco-friendly and compatible with sensitive materials.

Inspection of Fire Extinguishers
egular inspection of fire extinguishers, which are vital in fire interventions, is just as crucial as having fire extinguishers. Since the pressurized substance inside the fire extinguisher is emptied over time even if it is not used, the inspection of fire extinguishers is one of the issues that both users and companies should follow.

Almost all fire extinguishers should receive a fire-extinguishing agent replenishment once a year. In some cases, fire extinguishers should be completely emptied and refilled. Regardless of how it is done, the building should not be left empty during the filling of fire extinguishers, and spare fire extinguishers should be located in fire extinguishing corners.

Fire Extinguisher Refilling Time
The refilling time of fire extinguishers varies depending on the content of the fire extinguisher. While authorized companies are well aware of this, users should also be vigilant. Dry chemical powder fire extinguishers should be inspected twice a year at six-month intervals, and the pressure value should be measured. The healthiest option is to completely empty and refill them every two years.

For foam fire extinguishers, the periodic maintenance and refilling time is once a year. Halocarbon fire extinguishers are checked annually, like dry chemical fire extinguishers, and refilled every two years.