1. Unit 8: Portable Fire Extinguishers & Smoke Control Management Systems
Chapter 11: Portable Fire Extinguishers And Chapter 12: Smoke Control Management Systems

2. Unit 11: Portable Fire Extinguishers
Discuss the fire extinguisher classification system. (Seminar 1)
Discuss the fire extinguisher rating system and to which classification of extinguishers it applies.
Explain why a certain extinguisher classification requires a conductivity test.
Explain the acronym PASS in relation to fire extinguishers
Describe the different types of fire extinguishers and their operation.
List the different extinguishing agents and their applications.
Discuss the inspection, testing, and maintenance procedures for portable fire extinguishers. systems

3. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Rating
Class A and B have ratings describing their performance capability.
This rating expresses how much fire the extinguisher can handle based on testing.

4. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Rating
Class A uses wood cribbing to determine its capability.
If an extinguisher rates as 1-A it must be able to extinguish 1 cubic foot of wood cribbing.
If 4-A it must be able to extinguish 4-A or 4 cubic feet of cribbing

5. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Rating
Indoor classifications:
1-A, 2-A, 3-A, 4-A, 6-A, 10-A, 20-A
Outdoor classifications:
30-A and 40-A
When water extinguishers, each 1.25 gallons = 1-A so, 5 gallons equals 4-A.

6. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Rating
Class B uses a flammable liquid fire to determine its capability, it is set in a pan.
The liquid is typically heptane and based on the size of the pan the rating is determined.
The rating is typically proportional to the square footage of the pan. However, as the size of the test fire increases the proportional relationship does not equally apply.

7. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Rating
Indoor classifications for Class B
1-B, 2-B, 5-B, 10-B, 20-B, 30-B
Outdoor classifications:
40-B, 60-B, 80-B, 120-B, 160-B, 240-B, 320-B, 480-B, 640-B

8. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Rating
Class C extinguishers do not receive a rating because there is no actual fire test for Class C agents.
However, there is a test to determine if there is conductivity between the
Agent
the horn, hose or nozzle
the electrically charged source.
If conductivity the user could receive shock and be injured.

9. Chapter 11: Types of Fire Extinguishers
Pump: require manual operation of pump mechanism.
Pump can or backpack
Stored Pressure: mix of agent and pressurized gas (air or nitrogen).
Cartridge Pressure: agent and pressurized gas separate (air or nitrogen).

10. Chapter 11: Types of Fire Extinguishers

11. Chapter 11: Types of Fire Extinguisher Agents
Water
Foam
Carbon Dioxide
Dry Chemical
Wet Chemical: K
Halon or other clean agents

12. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Operation
P-A-S-S
Pull pin
Aim nozzle at base of flames
Squeeze trigger
Sweep

13. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Testing Maintenance
Visual Inspection:
Present, correct location
Visible, accessible
Label is readable
Proper type for hazard
Damage to components
Gauge if present “charged”
Documentation/tags

14. Chapter 11: Fire Extinguisher Testing Maintenance
Maintenance: Dependent on type, check tag/documentation.
Maintenance / inspection yearly
Disassemble/internal exam between 1 and 6 years.
Hydrostatic testing:
Refillable extinguishers can handle pressure and environment
Interval between 5 and 12 years.
Stamped on cylinder: date, company, and pressure tested to

15. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Define smoke control and smoke management.
State design goals for smoke control and smoke management systems.
Name the three general methods used to control smoke movement.
Describe the four pressure differential methods used to control smoke.
Describe five design requirements or operational characteristics of smoke control systems.
List the different life safety and fire protection systems that interface with smoke control systems and describe how they interact.
Discuss the importance of the acceptance testing and annual retesting processes for smoke control systems.

16. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Smoke control: describes mechanical systems that pressurize areas of buildings with fans to limit smoke movement when there is a fire.
Smoke management: describes passive and active systems used alone or in combination to alter smoke movement.
Objective of both are to provide a tenable environment for occupants and assist firefighters during a fire and contain smoke within place of origin.

17. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Passive design: utilizes building components; walls, bulkheads, doors, partitions high ceilings, sealed openings, smoke heat vents, draft curtains.
Active design: uses mechanical systems to exhaust, pressurize, or oppose smoke with forced air.

18. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Code mandated: Not required in many structures due to practicality, costs, or limited affect of life safety.
High rise buildings
Atriums greater than two stories.
Detention and correctional facilities.
Underground buildings
Some health and assembly occupancies.

19. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Pressure differentials: Create pressure differences to limit smoke spread.
Stairway doors
Refuge area doors
Elevator landings.
Stairway pressurization: Stairway has slightly higher pressure

20. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Floating zone/floor by floor pressurization: High rises
HVAC system creates negative pressure on fire floors and slightly higher pressures on floors above and below fire.
Smoke removed from fire floor and replaced by clean air.
Elevator pressurization: pressurize elevator shaft.
Refuge air pressurization: pressurize refuge areas.

21. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Smoke removal:
Large volume spaces: atriums, indoor stadiums, malls.
Contaminated air is replaced with clean air.
However these systems can be overwhelmed by fire growth.

22. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Best results:
automatic or manual detection and suppression
Properly operating fire detection systems and automatic fire sprinkler systems coupled with rapid firefighter response offers the best opportunity to control production and spread of visible smoke and associated toxic gases.
Otherwise, a high probability of a fire overwhelming the control and management system

23. Unit 12: Smoke Control Managements
Testing:
Upon system completion
Annually
When other components are changed or re-programmed.

24. Questions Comments Concerns