FST Fire Extinguishers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum travel distance requirement from any point in a building to a Class A fire extinguisher?
- 50 feet
- 75 feet (Correct answer)
- 100 feet
- 150 feet
Correct answer: 75 feet
NFPA 10 requires Class A extinguishers to be within 75 feet of travel distance from any point in the protected area.
Question 2: Which type of fire extinguisher agent is most appropriate for a computer server room?
- Dry chemical
- Water mist
- Clean agent (Halon substitute) (Correct answer)
- Foam
Correct answer: Clean agent (Halon substitute)
Clean agent extinguishers (such as FM-200 or Novec 1230) are preferred for server rooms because they leave no residue and do not damage sensitive electronics.
Question 3: A fire extinguisher shows a pressure gauge reading in the green zone but has visible corrosion on the cylinder. What is the correct action?
- Place it back in service — the gauge reading is satisfactory
- Remove it from service and have it hydrostatically tested (Correct answer)
- Recharge it and return to service
- Paint over the corrosion and tag it as inspected
Correct answer: Remove it from service and have it hydrostatically tested
Visible corrosion is a condition that requires removal from service; the extinguisher must be hydrostatically tested or condemned regardless of gauge reading.
Question 4: What information is required on a fire extinguisher inspection tag after a monthly inspection?
- Inspector's full name, license number, and company address
- Date of inspection and initials of the inspector (Correct answer)
- Weight of the extinguisher and agent pressure
- Next scheduled service date and hydrostatic test due date
Correct answer: Date of inspection and initials of the inspector
NFPA 10 requires the inspection tag to show the date of inspection and the initials of the person who performed the inspection.
Question 5: A Class K fire extinguisher is specifically designed to handle fires involving:
- Combustible metals in commercial kitchens
- Cooking oils and fats in commercial cooking equipment (Correct answer)
- Electrical fires in kitchen appliances only
- Pressurized flammable liquids in kitchen environments
Correct answer: Cooking oils and fats in commercial cooking equipment
Class K extinguishers use wet chemical agents designed for fires in cooking appliances involving combustible cooking media such as vegetable oils and animal fats.
Question 6: When performing a hydrostatic test on a stored-pressure dry chemical extinguisher, what must be done before the test?
- Fully charge the extinguisher to operating pressure
- Remove all dry chemical agent from the cylinder (Correct answer)
- Replace the pressure gauge with a test gauge
- Discharge the extinguisher using the normal operating handle
Correct answer: Remove all dry chemical agent from the cylinder
All agent and residue must be completely removed from the cylinder before hydrostatic testing to prevent contamination and ensure accurate test results.
Question 7: Which NFPA standard governs the installation, inspection, maintenance, and recharging of portable fire extinguishers?
- NFPA 1
- NFPA 10 (Correct answer)
- NFPA 13
- NFPA 72
Correct answer: NFPA 10
NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, is the primary standard covering selection, installation, inspection, maintenance, and recharging.
FST Fire Extinguishers 2
What is the minimum travel distance requirement from any point in a building to a Class A fire extinguisher?