Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
Atlanta, GA – A 14-year-old boy in Atlanta is being credited with saving the lives of his neighbors after a fire broke out in the apartment building where he lives. The boy woke up to the smell of smoke, which led him to find flames emerging from his neighbor’s apartment wall. Thankfully, the boy’s mother had previously taught him how to use a fire extinguisher, so he was able to put out a significant portion of the flames with a portable fire extinguisher before fire crews arrived on the scene. While four apartment units were damaged, nobody was injured. One neighbor said that had the boy not helped before firefighters arrived, things may have ended differently.
Arvada, CO – Three young brothers were playing in their yard in Colorado when they noticed a fire at their neighbor’s house. Luckily the boy’s father is a local firefighter, so they knew exactly what to do. They quickly alerted their mother to the fire and helped her locate the family’s portable fire extinguisher. After ensuring the boys were a safe distance away, the mother then used the extinguisher to put out the fire before the fire department could arrive. The oldest boy was even able to draw pictures to help investigators pinpoint the source of the fire.
Patch: Across America (Arvada, CO)
Cherry Hill, NJ – While shopping, a man in Cherry Hill, NJ put out a fire in a Walmart. The man noticed the fire in the apparel section and grabbed a nearby portable fire extinguisher. Then, with the assistance of another shopper, used it to put out the flames. A spokesperson for the Walmart said that they are still unclear what the cause of the fire was, but they did credit the shopper with stopping the fire.
Kingston, MA – A fire broke out at a single-family home in Kingston, MA due to a charging hoverboard. The charging cord, which was being used for the first time, caused the hoverboard’s battery pack to explode. The residents put out the fire with a portable fire extinguisher on their own and reported the fire to authorities. While the house suffered some damage, no one was injured as a result of the fire.
Middletown, NJ – A smoke alarm and fire extinguisher staved off disaster for a family in the Middletown, NJ. The fire broke out in the home’s laundry room, but the family was quickly alerted to it by their smoke alarm. While most of the family evacuated the home, one of the residents used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Fire crews arrived shortly later to inspect and ventilate the home.
Ashbury Park Press. (Middletown, NJ)
Lake Stevens, WA – A woman was injured when her car went careening off a road one recent evening. The car went 50 feet down an embankment, where it crashed and caught fire in the engine compartment. A nearby witness was able to quickly douse the flames with a portable fire extinguisher. Firefighters were able to remove the driver from the car and took her to the hospital with a leg injury. A man riding in the passenger seat was able to get out of the car on his own and was not injured.
Somerville, MA – A bus driver has been recognized as a hero after she jumped into action to help save people in a burning home. The driver was returning the bus back to the garage when she came upon the fire burning in a three-family home. She stopped the bus, grabbed the vehicle’s portable fire extinguisher, and ran to the building. She emptied the extinguisher onto the flames, and then knocked on an adjoining door to get people out. The bus driver reported that she was assisted by an unknown male party with trying to help notify residents in the building and with extinguishing the fire.
New Hope, MN – At the start of the New Year, West Metro Fire began offering free home safety surveys to residents. During the survey, members of the fire department perform a walk through with homeowners to identify safety hazards and provide smoke detectors or fire extinguishers, at no cost, to residents who need them. Back in January, a New Hope family was able to save their home by putting out a basement fire using the portable fire extinguisher they received after the home safety survey. West Metro’s Deputy Fire Marshal told reporters that she thought, “if they wouldn’t have had the home safety survey, he wouldn’t have had a fire extinguisher. He wouldn’t have known how to use a fire extinguisher, and when to use one.”
Bellingham, WA – Bellingham Fire Department and North Whatcom Fire and Rescue crews reported to Yew Street after a 911 caller saw smoke coming from an upstairs window. Before the crew’s arrival, a neighbor broke a window and entered the house to use a portable fire extinguisher to knock down the flames before fire authorities arrived. Afterwards, the Bellingham Fire Captain explained, “Fire extinguishers are designed to interfere with the growth of a fire during the incipient, or early, phase of a fire. The use of an extinguisher had a direct impact on this fire, allowing the resident to remain in the house and resulting in very little damage being caused by this fire.”
Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, WA)
Indian River County, FL — On a Friday morning, firefighters responded to the report of a small fire at a Children’s Discovery Center. The fire started in the bathroom of the center after an electrical outlet shorted. After smelling a strange odor coming from one of the vents in the bathroom, a staff member located the fire and put it out using a portable fire extinguisher. The children were immediately evacuated and eventually sent home for the day. No one was harmed and the fire was extinguished before fire authorities arrived.
Treasure Coast News (Palm Bay, FL)
Latest Stories
Employees use fire extinguisher against mechanical fire
Lincoln, NE – Employees at a manufacturing plant in Lincoln, NE utilized a portable fire extinguisher to stop the spread of a duct fire. After a mechanical failure in the plant’s exhaust system sparked the fire, employees used a nearby fire extinguisher to knock out the flames before firefighters arrived on scene. Fire officials praised […]
Use of fire extinguisher prevents porch fire from spreading
Elk River, MN – An employee of a Minnesota retirement community used a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire caused by a discarded cigarette, preventing a potentially devastating porch fire. When a poorly discarded cigarette ignited a porch planter, flames and smoke began to enter the apartment building. Hearing the smoke detector, the […]
Homeowners extinguish fire started by family pet
Almira Township, MI – Homeowners in Almira Township, MI, used a portable fire extinguisher to put out a kitchen fire started by the family pet. According to fire officials, the family cat likely turned on the oven’s self-cleaning function which ignited grease in a pan left overnight. The home’s smoke alarm sounded, waking up the […]
Officer extinguishes engine fire, saves driver
Traverse, City MI – In Traverse City, Michigan, a conservation officer is being recognized for rescuing a driver involved in a two-vehicle crash. While he was assisting the rescue effort, the engine of one of the vehicles caught fire. As the flames began to spread, he quickly retrieved the portable fire extinguisher from his patrol […]
Quick-thinking employees extinguish fire
Somerset, KY – At a Dairy Queen in Somerset, Kentucky, employees quickly extinguished a kitchen fire before firefighters arrived. Firefighters dispatched to the scene were relieved to find that employees had already put out the flames using a portable fire extinguisher. The firefighters noted that the employees had completely extinguished the fire using proper fire […]
Bus driver saves police officer after crash
Pine Bluff, AR – In Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a school bus driver saved a police officer’s life after the officer’s vehicle slammed into his bus and caught fire. As flames began to spread across the vehicle, the bus driver was unable to get the driver out of the vehicle. He used a portable fire extinguisher from […]
Oven fire quickly extinguished
Philomath, OR – A woman in Philomath, OR, averted disaster when oil in her oven ignited during a self-cleaning cycle. As the oven caught fire, she quickly grabbed a portable fire extinguisher from outside her apartment door and successfully extinguished the flames before firefighters arrived. Thanks to her swift actions, the damage was limited to […]
Heroes save driver after car catches fire
Dundee, NE – Bystanders in Dundee, NE, are being praised for their quick actions in saving a driver whose vehicle had caught fire. As flames rapidly engulfed the car, two bystanders grabbed portable fire extinguishers and used them to slow the blaze long enough for others to pry open the car door and rescue the […]
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.
