Early-stage fires can be fought with ease with portable fire extinguishers. But just to be clear, these small fire extinguishers are not meant to handle raging and spreading fires. But they often provide flexibility and an invaluable safety option in areas where a standard size fire extinguisher can’t fit.
What are Portable Fire Extinguishers?
In public places throughout Whangarei and Auckland, you’ll often see large red fire extinguishers installed on walls and hallways, these serve as the primary disaster response equipment for starting fires. But not all fire extinguishers come in large sizes, there are the handy portable fire extinguishers meant for high-hazard small spaces such as (server rooms, laboratories, audio booths) and transport vehicles such as (cars, trucks, ambulances, caravans and motorboats).
Ideally, portable fire extinguishers should be conspicuously installed in areas where there has been a recorded high frequency of fires. Though small and handy, these emergency canisters are capable of preventing potentially large fires from happening.
The Many Advantages of Portable Fire Extinguishers NZ
These compact life saving devices known as Portable fire extinguishers (PFEs) come in different types, sizes, and weights, and knowing the different varieties can help you find the most suitable one for your workplace, booth or vehicle.
PFEs keep people safe from sudden fire risks. If you wish to learn more about its advantages, here are some:
- PFEs are relatively easier to use and handy to carry, especially, if you to get to an area that requires several flights of stairs. If you’re carrying a regular heavy-duty fire extinguisher, you’d feel winded by the time you reach the top floor. (If you are in a commercial building you should expect to find larger extinguishers on higher floors)
In an emergency, firefighters need a few minutes to get to you, and sometimes it may take a while. By having a PFE available in your car or room, you can try to initially handle the starting fire on your own and hopefully potentially snuff it out. By owning a portable one, you can mitigate the damage while you wait for rescue to come.
Portable fire extinguishers in New Zealand are designed in a way where you can easily grip the hose and properly aim it at an incipient-stage fire.
PFEs are affordable starting at $45 which is mainly depending on the size and type.
- There are also routine safety service standards for
portable fire extinguishers, you need to make sure they are working properly and not leaking. The routine service standards set out options; a six–monthly service schedule or a yearly service schedule. PFEs need to be recharged periodically or if it’s a single-use type, it needs to be replaced even if the contents weren’t fully discharged during the last fire emergency. But this is dependent on the type of PFE you have.
New Zealand Fire Extinguisher Standards
Generally, portable fire extinguishers are defined as extinguishers designed to be carried and operated by hand and of which the average unit has a mass of not more than 20 kg.
In reference to AS/NZS 1841:2007 on Portable fire extinguishers, which is the new mandatory standard for compliance. All PFEs made for Australia and New Zealand should be labeled with operating instructions, have an identification colour, code pictographs and date of manufacture.
Portable fire extinguishers on average weigh between 0.5 kg and 9 kg, but can weigh up to 23 kg. They are usually classified as Aerosol extinguishers which are the single-use spray types or to put it bluntly, these are small disposable fire extinguishers. The other type are the Non-aerosol extinguishers which are small and refillable come with standard extinguisher parts such as the carry handle, squeeze lever, support fitting, pressure indicating device and an anti-discharge device.
Car Safety through Portable Fire Extinguishers
Effective firefighting has always been a combination of the right tools and safety awareness. The great thing about PFEs is that they can fit anywhere and they give you the option to fight fires wherever and whenever.
If you’re wondering where else portable fire extinguishers can be used, these small life-savers can be mounted inside vehicles like cars or trucks.
Automobiles run on fuel engines that if exposed to various hazards or upon sudden impact can result in a fire which can put the driver and passengers at risk. Often, PFEs are installed under one of the car seats. They should be properly mounted and secured, so not to get loose during sudden road stops. PFEs are small enough not to be bothersome and still enable accessibility between car seats. It should be placed at a secure position that’s within reach.
Also if you come across a road accident, you can be the first in the scene to respond and assist in putting out an engine fire if you have a PFE in your vehicle. Sometimes with road accidents, it’s not about entirely putting out the fire with a portable fire extinguisher, but buying some time to pull out the driver from the blaze and moving to a safe area.
Are you in need of reliable and compliant portable fire extinguisher? Want to learn more information about refilling and recharging portable fire extinguishers in NZ?
Call us today at Fireco Limited 0800 101 232 or email info@fireco.co.nz
We are the trusted firefighting equipment specialists across Northland and Auckland.