Portable Fire Extinguishers

When the fire starts at the beginning it is limited

and easy to control, so there are some portable fire
extinguishers on the ship and that are used with
Limited fire.
In order to use the portable fire extinguishers
properly crew must be trained periodically in its
use and follow the instructions on each
extinguisher.

Portable Fire Extinguishers

IMO resolution a.602 (15), “revised guidelines for
marine portable fire extinguishers”, recommends
standards for
 the construction,
 performance
 test specifications
 markings
 periodical inspections
 maintenance
of portable fire extinguishers.

A portable fire extinguisher because of its limited

capacity and duration must only be used in the
early stage of a fire.

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 Portable Fire Extinguishers
To use the fire extinguisher the following steps
should be followed:

◾Pull the extinguisher’s safety clip, after breaking

the safety clip.
◾Aim the extinguisher at the source of the flames
(in other words the base of the fire).
◾Squeeze the trigger and hold it in.
◾Sweep the source of the flames by holding the
nozzle tip and bending down slightly.
◾Never turn your back to the fire and do not get
too close to the fire.

Portable Fire Extinguishers

To use the fire extinguisher the following steps should be
followed:

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 Portable Fire Extinguishers
According to the fire extinguishing
agent they contain, portable fire
extinguishers are divided into 4
categories.
a. Water
b. Foam
c. Carbon dioxide
d. Dry chemical powder

Color Code

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 Portable Fire Extinguishers
Capacity of a portable fire extinguisher will be
between 9.5 liters to 13 liters.

A portable extinguisher will be placed next to

locations with major fire risks (e.g. galley,
radio console) and also near exit points of
escape routes.

So that they can be readily seen and used by

crew following an escape route.

Portable Fire Extinguishers

Each portable extinguisher is to be clearly marked as
under:
a. Manufacturer
b. Type of fire on which the extinguisher is suitable
c. Type and quantity of extinguishing medium
d. Approval details
e. Operating instructions in pictorial form
f. Recharging instructions
g. Year of manufacture
h. Test pressure
i. Temperature over which the extinguisher will operate
satisfactory

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 Water Fire
Extinguishers

Signal Red
Best For:
Fires involving organic solid materials such as wood,
cloth, paper, plastics, Coal etc.
Danger:
Do not use on burning fat or oil or on electrical
appliances
How to Use:
Point the jet at the base of the flames and keep it moving
across the area of the fire.
Ensure that all areas of the fire are out.
How it Works:
Water has a great effect on cooling the burning materials
and reduce its temp. below the ignition temperature

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 Water Fire Extinguishers
Types of Water Fire Extinguishers:

 Soda – Acid Water Extinguisher

 CO2 Cartridge- Water Extinguisher

 Stored pressure Water Extinguisher

Soda – Acid Water Extinguisher

A cylinder containing 9.5 liters of water mixed with about
0.7 kg of sodium bicarbonate and installed in the cylinder
cover small tank contains about 0.23 kg of sulfuric acid
and extinguisher weighs about 13.6 kg and takes 55
seconds to empty the contents.
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 Opens the operating valve
 inverted the extinguisher in order to mix the contents
together
 Use it inverted and aim directly to the base of the fire.
.

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Soda – Acid Water Extinguisher

sulfuric
acid

Water mixed with

sodium bicarbonate

Base of
extinguisher
from bottom

Soda – Acid Water Extinguisher

sulfuric
acid

Water mixed with

sodium bicarbonate

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 CO2 Cartridge-Operated Water Extinguisher
An external cylinder filled with fresh water and installed
in the cylinder cover a carbon dioxide cartridge (small
cylinder) is the compressor that pushes the water out of
the extinguisher.
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 push the operating valve strongly
 inverted the extinguisher in order to allow the gas to go
up to the base of the extinguisher
 CO2 gas push the water come out of the exuberant
nozzle or hose and used the extinguisher upside down
and went directly to the base of the fire.

CO2 Cartridge-Operated Water Extinguisher

CO2
cartridge

fresh water

Base of
extinguisher
from bottom

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 CO2 cartridge

CO2
cartridge

fresh water

CO2 Cartridge-Operated Water Extinguisher

CO2
cartridge

fresh water

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 CO2 Cartridge-Operated Water Extinguisher

fresh water

Stored pressure Water Extinguisher

An external cylinder filled with fresh water and
compressed by carbon dioxide represents a compressor
that pushes the water out of the extinguisher and has a
tube extending from the top of the cylinder until near the
bottom and has a pressure gauge to measure pressure
inside the extinguisher to indicate the suitability for use.
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 push the operating valve
 water come out of the nozzle of the hose as a result of the
pressure of carbon dioxide on the surface of the water
 Use it upright and aim directly to the base of the fire.

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Stored pressure Water Extinguisher
pressure
gauge
Compressed
CO2

fresh water

Stored pressure Water Extinguisher

CO2
cartridge

fresh water

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 Foam Fire
Extinguishers

Foam Fire Extinguishers

Cream
Best For:
Fires involving solids and burning liquids, such as paint and petrol
Danger
Do not use on electricity and class D fires.
How to Use
For fires involving solids, point the jet at the base of the flames and keep
it moving across the area of the fire. Ensure that all areas of the fire are
out.
For fires involving liquids, do not aim the jet straight into the liquid.
Where the liquid on fire is in a container, point the jet at the inside edge
of the container or on a nearby surface above the burning liquid. Allow
the foam to build up and flow across the liquid.
How it Works
They are mainly water based, with a foaming agent so that the foam can
float on top of the burning liquid and isolation between the air and the
fuel surface.

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 Foam Fire Extinguishers
Types of Foam Fire Extinguishers:

 Chemical Foam Extinguisher

 Mechanical Foam Extinguisher

Chemical Foam Extinguisher

Consists of an external cylinder packed with sodium bicarbonate and
internal plastic cylinder with holes at the top and are installed at the top
and the extinguisher packed with a solution of aluminum sulfate and
covered by Lightning nylon or cellophane to prevent spillage and mixing
of the two liquids.
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 press the valve on top of extinguisher that will damage the cellophane
cause the opening of holes at the top
 inverts the extinguisher several times to mix the two fluids produces
foam and carbon dioxide, which is the driving force of the liquid out of
the extinguisher
 the foam aim to vertical wall to allow flowing foam on the surface of
the burning liquid and does not go directly to the surface of the base of
the fire.
.

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Chemical Foam Extinguisher
cellophane

A
aluminum sulfate

B sodium bicarbonate

Chemical Foam Extinguisher

A
aluminum sulfate

B sodium bicarbonate

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Mechanical Foam Extinguisher
Consists of an external cylinder packed with a solution of
foam and installed at the top of the extinguisher carbon
dioxide cartridge and that compressor pushes out the foam
extinguisher.
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 push the operating valve strongly
 inverted the extinguisher in order to allow the gas to go
up to the base of the extinguisher
 the foam aim to vertical wall to allow flowing foam on the
surface of the burning liquid and does not go directly to
the surface of the base of the fire.

Mechanical Foam Extinguisher

CO2
cartridge

foam solution

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Mechanical Foam Extinguisher

A
aluminum sulfate

B sodium bicarbonate

Carbon Dioxide Fire

Extinguisher

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 Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher
Black
Best For:
Live electrical equipment, although it allows re-ignition of hot plastics. Now mainly
used on large computer servers, although care has to be taken not to asphyxiate
people when using the extinguisher in small server rooms.
Danger:
Do not use for Class D fires .This type of extinguisher does not cool the fire very
well and you need to ensure that the fire does not start up again. Fumes from CO2
extinguishers can asphyxiate if used in confined spaces: ventilate the area as soon
as the fire has been controlled. Only use CO2 extinguishers with frost-free horns, as
the hand holding the horn can otherwise be frozen to the horn, as the gas is getting
very cold during the discharge.
How to Use:
The discharge horn should be directed at the base of the flames and the jet kept
moving across the area of the fire.
How it Works:
Carbon dioxide extinguisher works by smothering the fire. Carbon dioxide
displaces oxygen in the air. However, once discharged, the CO2 will dissipate
quickly and allow access for oxygen again, which can re-ignite the fire.

CO2 Fire Extinguisher

Is a cylinder packed of carbon dioxide under pressure (liquefied)
connected to the top of the extinguisher handle or valve operation
and hose with heat insulated handle and connected to the end of
hose a horn nozzle to take out the gas, and the benefit of the
handle that the gas when it came out has very cool effect (snow) at
the end of the hose and that has burning effect on the skin in this
case.
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 push or open the operating valve
 Gas come out of the horn nozzle as a result of the pressure of
carbon dioxide inside the cylinder.
 Use it upright and aim directly to the base of the fire.
.

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CO2 Fire Extinguisher

liquefiedCO2 under
pressure

CO2 Fire Extinguisher

liquefiedCO2 under
pressure

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 CO2 Fire Extinguisher

liquefiedCO2 under
pressure

Dry Chemical Powder

Fire Extinguisher

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 Dry Powder Extinguisher
Blue
Best For
Can be used on fires involving organic solids, liquids such as grease, fats,
oil, paint, petrol, etc Can also be used on gas fires.
Danger
Safe on live electrical equipment, although does not penetrate the spaces
in equipment easily and the fire may re-ignite. This type of extinguisher
does not cool the fire very well and care should be taken that the fire does
not flare up again.
Smoldering material in deep seated fires such as upholstery or bedding
can cause the fire to start up again. There is danger of inhalation if powder
extinguishers are used within buildings.
How to Use
Point the jet or discharge horn at the base of the flames and, with a rapid
sweeping motion, drive the fire towards the far edge until all the flames
are out. If the extinguisher has a hand control, wait until the air clears and
if you can still see the flames, attack the fire again.
How it Works
The Dry powder break the chain reaction and thus extinguish the fire

Dry Powder Extinguisher

Dry powder extinguisher contains sodium bicarbonate powder in the outer
container.
Sodium bicarbonate powder is used to extinguish almost all types of fires. It is
mainly located in engine room and near electrical equipment.
A small container with carbon dioxide is placed beneath the plunger
mechanism.
When the plunger is pushed, it releases the carbon dioxide gas, which in turn
forces the dry powder out of the discharge nozzle
How to operate:
 Pull out the security pin
 push or open the operating valve
 Powder come out of the nozzle as a result of the pressure of carbon dioxide
inside the cylinder.
 Use it upright and aim directly to the base of the fire.
.

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Dry Powder Extinguisher

Compressed
CO2

Dry powder

Dry Powder Extinguisher

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Dry Powder Extinguisher

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Causes of Fires on Board ships
 Smoking  Cargo Holds
 Cutting & Welding  Paint Store
 Ship’s Galley  Bilge
 Electricity  Funnel
 Spontaneous ignition

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