FE Emergency Response & Extinguisher Selection Flashcards

Which fire extinguisher agent is recommended for a Class K commercial kitchen fire involving hot cooking oils?

Answer: Wet chemical (potassium acetate/citrate solution)

Wet chemical agents (Class K) are specifically designed for high-temperature cooking oil fires, creating a soap-like layer that cools and suppresses the fire.

A technician is selecting an extinguisher for a server room. Which agent is preferred to minimize equipment damage?

Answer: CO2 or clean agent (Halotron/FM-200)

CO2 and clean agents leave no residue, making them ideal for sensitive electronic equipment where dry chemical or water damage would be catastrophic.

Which class of fire extinguisher is required to carry an electrical non-conductivity rating?

Answer: Class C (any extinguisher used on energized electrical equipment)

Class C rated extinguishers must use non-conductive agents (CO2, dry chemical, clean agent) and are tested to ensure they won't conduct electricity back to the user.

What action should be taken first upon discovering a small fire before using a fire extinguisher?

Answer: Activate the building fire alarm and ensure occupants are evacuating

Activating the alarm and initiating evacuation are the top priorities — life safety comes before fire suppression attempts.

For a Class D combustible metal fire involving magnesium, which extinguisher should be used?

Answer: Dry powder specifically rated for the metal involved (e.g., Met-L-X)

Class D fires require a dry powder agent specifically matched to the burning metal — using the wrong agent can make the fire worse.

What is the UL rating system used to communicate the firefighting capability of a portable extinguisher?

Answer: A letter-number rating (e.g., 2A:10B:C) where the number indicates extinguishing potential

The UL rating uses a letter for fire class and a number (for A and B) representing comparative extinguishing potential on standardized test fires.