Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
Spring Hill, TN— A 49-year-old Chapel Hill man was trapped in a burning vehicle after he crashed on I-65. As first responders were delayed in reaching the scene due to the lack of nearby exits, other drivers who witnessed the accident stopped and rushed to help. While the man was pinned in his vehicle, bystanders used portable fire extinguishers to contain the flames until emergency personnel could arrive on scene. A Spring Hill Police Officer arrived to provide support, shielding the driver’s face from extinguisher’s discharge until EMS personnel were able to free the man from the vehicle.
Portage, MI — An Amazon delivery driver used a portable fire extinguisher to save an elderly man from a burning home while making a delivery to a senior living community. Upon arriving at the home to make a delivery, he heard screams for help and noticed a fire burning on the man’s stove. The driver ran and got the portable extinguisher from his truck, and although he had never used a fire extinguisher before, he was able to quickly knock down the flames before they could spread. He then assisted the man to safety. The Portage Fire Captain praised the response as a “true act of heroism”. After the fire was out, the driver continued on to finish his delivery route that day.
Tulsa, OK — Firefighters in Tulsa, OK responded to an apartment complex to find one of the apartments on fire. Officials praised the response of one man,Josue Gonzales, who they said helped to save a fellow tenant and prevent the fire from spreading.Gonzales says his training as a hospital employee kicked in as he aided a fellow tenant out of the burning building and then quickly reentered the apartment with a fire extinguisher. He was able to knock down the flames and prevent the fire from spreading as firefighters arrived on the scene. Fire officials said that without Gonzales quick-thinking, the flame may have spread to the rest of the complex. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, and the damage was limited.
Eagle Nest Township, MN — A homeowner in Eagle Nest Township used a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire on his kitchen stove. The homeowner, Ryan Bajan, had left his groceries on an electric burner which caught on fire. After hearing fire alarms and seeing smoke filling the room, he quickly made sure everyone in the building got to safety. After making sure no one was left in the home, he jumped to action and used the portable extinguisher to extinguish the fire before fire fighters arrived. After the fire was controlled, Bajan told reporters that if he didn’t have the extinguisher, the damage to his home would have been even more severe. He encouraged everyone to keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
Newburyport, MA — A 42-foot boat caught fire at a Newburyport, MA, yacht club due to an electrical malfunction. The owner of another boat saw the fire and immediately called 911. He then used a portable fire extinguisher to control the flames and slow the spread while waiting for responders to arrive.Newburyport Fire Chief Stephen H. Bradbury III commended the boat owner for alerting their department and keeping the fire under control, noting that it “could have been a much worse fire if he hadn’t intervened.”
The Daily News of Newburyport (Newburyport,MA)
Fond du Lac, WI — Residents in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin prevented injury and further damage to their home when they called 911 and used a portable fire extinguisher to fight a porch fire. Firefighters from Fond du Lac Fire Rescue helped extinguish the remainder of the smoldering fire after arriving. Officials confirmed that no one was injured, and the portable fire extinguisher was key in preventing the fire from spreading and saving the home.
FOX 11 News (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Eyota, MN — In Eyota, Minnesota, a 24-year-old babysitter saved the lives of five children when he used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames of an electrical fire. The babysitter heard popping sounds coming from the basement of the home and witnessed an electrical panel catch fire. He grabbed a portable fire extinguisher to control the flames, evacuated the children from the home, and called 911. Captain Parkin of Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office credited the babysitter’s quick thinking for preventing injury and further damage.
KROC-AM News (Rochester, Minnesota)
Hoquiam, WA — An air fryer in a home in Hoquiam, Washington exploded into flames causing a duplex to catch on fire. The Fire Chief stated that the resident’s use of a portable fire extinguisher helped to prevent injuries and stop the fire from spreading to the next-door unit. The unit where the fire started sustained extensive damage though the neighbors did not have to vacate their unit thanks to the use of the portable extinguisher.
The Daily World (Aberdeen, Washington)
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that a missing fire extinguisher in a school laboratory is a “physical defect” even if it wasn’t legally required. The ruling allows students burned by an exploding bottle of alcohol in 2020 to sue their school district. The question of whether missing fire safety equipment can be a “physical defect” has divided Ohio courts for years.
Grand Forks, ND – Grand Forks, North Dakota firefighters were recently called to respond to a report of smoke and flames coming from an apartment. A fan in the bathroom overheated and started a ceiling fire. Before responders arrived, the apartment tenant successfully used a portable fire extinguisher to suppress the flames. By using the fire extinguisher, the tenant was able to put out the fire and limit the amount of damage.
Latest Stories
Cooking fire stopped with portable fire extinguisher
La Grange Park, IL – In La Grange Park, IL, firefighters responded after an automatic fire alarm was triggered at a 27-unit apartment complex. Upon entering the complex, they found that a kitchen fire had been put out by a resident using a portable fire extinguisher. Thanks to the resident’s response, damage was limited to […]
Tenants put out kitchen fire, avert disaster
Cortland, NY – When a fire broke out in the kitchen of a Cortland, NY home, tenants quickly jumped into action to avoid disaster. Following a 911 call, Cortland firefighters responded to the home to find smoke coming from the second floor. By the time they entered the home, a tenant had already used a […]
Teachers applauded for fire extinguisher save
Monroe, LA – Two elementary school teachers in Baskin, LA are being praised for their courageous actions when they found an A/C unit on fire in the teacher’s lounge. As the flames began to spread to the nearby curtains, one teacher located a fire extinguisher while the other pulled the fire alarm to trigger an […]
Quick response saves family home
Zumbrotra, MN – In Zumbrota, MN, a police officer’s swift response to a fire prevented serious damage. When a bystander called to report a fire, the sergeant arrived to find the exterior of a home ablaze. After confirming that the home had been safely evacuated, the sergeant used a portable fire extinguisher to put out […]
Father and son save driver from burning vehicle on Christmas night
Seattle, WA – On Christmas night, a Snoqualmie, WA father and son saved a driver trapped inside a burning car involved in a wrong-way crash. The father and his son attempted to rescue the unconscious driver but were unable to open the car doors due to the damage from the accident and spreading fire. Fortunately, […]
Local reporter shares how fire extinguisher saved her home
Bethlehem, PA – After waking up to her fire alarm sounding, a local reporter in Bethlehem, PA found her dishwasher on fire. As the flames began to spread, she grabbed a portable fire extinguisher and used it to completely extinguish the flames. Damage was limited to the dishwasher and the family was able to return […]
Midland police officer, good Samaritan rescue 3 people from burning van
Midland, MI – A police officer and two good Samaritans in Midland, MI are being praised for a heroic rescue after a van caught fire on US-10. When the officer arrived on the scene, he found the vehicle burning with three passengers trapped inside. The officer ran to his patrol vehicle to secure a portable […]
Veneta woman hailed a hero after helping stop arsonist at chamber of commerce
Eugene, OR – Fire officials in Venata, Oregon are praising a local café owner after she stopped a fire during an arson attempt. After witnessing a man set fire to chairs in the lobby of a nearby office building, the woman jumped into action. She assisted in evacuating employees to safety before reentering the building. […]
Research
Portable Fire Extinguishers Dramatically Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Building Fires
Portable Fire Extinguishers are Safe & Effective Tools for Building Occupants
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About FireExtinguishersSaveLives.org
Why Fire Extinguishers are Important
How to Use a Portable Fire Extinguisher
Fire Safety Map
Are You Safe? Does your building require fire extinguishers throughout?
Every state has a State Fire Code with a section on fire extinguisher requirements. To get an overview of what state fire codes are based on and if states have made enhancements to fire codes visit the Interactive Fire Safety Map.
