Intersec – the world-leading emergency services, fire and rescue and safety event – will mark its return in 2022 with a ground-breaking, elevated new program uniting global and regional leaders as they explore solutions for the rapidly evolving challenges facing the industry. Never-before seen additions to the event will see Cybersecurity and technology take centre stage, along with some of the world’s best speakers in the UAE for the first time.

The 23rd edition of the flagship event, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will be staged under the theme of ‘Uniting the world’s leading industry specialists for the safety & security of future generations.’ His Highness said: “Intersec will be the most important platform of the year for businesses and governments to collaborate and continue on their paths of building a sustainable, safer and more secure world for our generation and those that follow. We look forward to hosting our communities once again, safely, physically and live in-person.”

The first industry gathering of 2022, staged at Dubai World Trade Center from 16-18 January, is the only event in the region that brings the entire ecosystem of emergency services, security and safety together at one time. Demonstrating Intersec’s strategic importance to the UAE, long-standing Official Supporters include Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defense, Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) and Dubai Municipality while additional government partners for 2022 will be announced shortly.

Intersec’s innovation and technology focus will include its first ever Cyber Lab offering a vital platform for knowledge. Organizer Messe Frankfurt has worked closely with industry stakeholders, from both the private and public sector, to develop an event that reflects both their current and future needs that offers attendees bespoke platforms to gain expert insight on future capacity and capabilities.

Christine Davidson, Intersec’s Group Exhibition Director, said: “There has never been such an intense focus as there is today on the security and safety industry which has been at the frontline of protecting the world’s communities over the last 18 months during this time of significant global disruption.

“Having invested heavily to deliver an outstanding program that will address the sector’s most vital issues and opportunities, Intersec 2022 brings the industry together at this crucial juncture to share knowledge from recent experiences and look to the future with the event’s most powerful series of conferences including multiple platforms for strategic G2G, G2B and B2B discussions and deep dive sessions into key sector verticals.”

Ms Davidson added: “The phenomenal development in the framework of the show will see the best minds in the industry come to the table with the most content-rich program ever seen at Intersec. We have the most comprehensive line-up of international and regional speakers, dynamic networking opportunities, coupled with world-class exhibitors to bring the most relevant value to Intersec’s attendees. We have built a world-class team to deliver this event and over the coming weeks we will be sharing further details of our elite speakers and conference program that will demonstrate the extraordinary value of the event to our attendees.”

Seen as a nexus for the industry, Intersec will bring together thousands of its most powerful stakeholders for bilateral government and business discussions on mitigating and addressing vulnerabilities of the future. They will be joined by leading regional and international brands exhibiting the most innovative systems and solutions in a dynamic environment that will enable face-to-face and virtual exchange through interactive roundtables, workshops and ‘closed-door’ confidential conversations.

The Austrian-based international fire department supplier Rosenbauer has presented a new extinguishing system for burning traction batteries in electric vehicles. Also in Austria, a study has been published on electric vehicles fires in Austrian road tunnels.

First, let’s go to the Rosenbauer development: The manufacturer claims that the system can be used to extinguish high-voltage batteries based on lithium-ion technology “safely and efficiently”. Efficient, because the system is supposed to enable direct cooling of the battery modules or the cells within the modules and thus a quick stop of the chain reaction of the cells passing through. Safe, because only a short stay at the burning vehicle is necessary for the emergency forces and the system can be activated at a sufficient distance.

According to Rosenbauer, the extinguisher is ideally positioned when utilised on the vehicle while standing between the vehicle and the roadway, which of course only works if the car is standing on all four wheels. Alternatively, the extinguishing unit can act on the top of the battery via the interior and boot when the vehicle is on its side or roof. The fire extinguisher has a hose that connects it to a control unit.

When the system is activated at the control unit (from a distance of about eight metres), the extinguishing spike is driven into the battery with a force of several tonnes and the extinguishing water is spread directly inside the battery through the perforated extinguishing lance. The water is then supposed to completely fill the battery casing. Important for the fire brigades is that the amount of water of a “normal TLF/HLF” (i.e. a tanker or an auxiliary fire-fighting vehicle) should be sufficient “to ensure extinguishing success”, according to Rosenbauer.

Rosenbauer says it has tested the system on batteries with pouch cells, prismatic cells and round cells in various vehicle platforms. Various plant fire brigades (including those of the Porsche plant in Leipzig), professional fire brigades and volunteer fire brigades in Europe have also had the system in training, apparently proving with their crews that it is “compatible with existing resources and tactics”.

The battery-powered firefighting system can be ordered now, according to the manufacturer, and will begin shipping early next year.

Study on electric car fires in tunnels

Another piece of useful information regarding burning electric vehicles also comes from Austria: a team from Graz University of Technology, and the University of Leoben, the Federal Fire Brigade Association and the consulting firm ILF Consulting Engineers Austria, has investigated the safety-relevant effects of fires involving battery-electric vehicles in road tunnels and evaluated methods for fighting fires. Based on these investigations, the hazard potential assessed as not being significantly more critical than in the case of fires of passenger cars with combustion engines.

“Austrian tunnel systems are fit enough for the challenges posed by burning electric vehicles,” concludes Peter Sturm, professor at the Institute of Internal Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics at TU Graz.

The previous state of knowledge on tunnel fires of electric cars was based on tests with individual battery cells and small battery packs, which was then used to infer the hazard potential of entire burning passenger cars, according to TU Graz. For the current tests, three electrically powered and two diesel-powered vehicles were deliberately set on fire in the new tunnel research centre called Zentrum am Berg at the University of Leoben. Some of the compact cars, SUVs and vans were new cars built in 2020 and thus represent the latest lithium-ion battery technology available on the market.

To simulate the usual time until the arrival of the emergency services, the fires were not extinguished for ten minutes, only then did the waiting fire brigade intervene – but not with the Rosenbauer solution described above. “We were able to gain valuable data in these first ten minutes, after which it was the fire brigade’s turn,” says Peter Sturm.

More than 30 temperature sensors were used to measure the heat release rate, i.e. the fire load of a vehicle. The fire load of a conventional car is about 5 megawatts (MW), or roughly equivalent to a burning stack of 25 wooden pallets. The heat release rate of the burning e-vehicles in the tunnel, at 6 to 7 MW, was somewhat higher than that of the diesel-powered comparison vehicles, but this does not entail any new risks or dangers. Today, tunnels are designed for the fire load of a conventional truck – and this is 30 MW.

We’ve all experienced it, the deafening sound of a smoke detector, but resist the urge to take down your alarm or remove its batteries.

“Always assume there’s a fire. When you’ve determined that it’s safe, then you can get to the root cause. Some of the things that will cause an alarm to go off are dying batteries, steam from a shower, dust, or even spiders inside the alarm,” said Bernie Deitrick, a Consumer Reports tester.

Let’s start the fixes with an easy one: the battery. Replace it every six months. If it’s sealed in the unit, replace the unit every 10 years to reduce other alarm triggers.

There are two main types – photoelectric and ionization.

“Photoelectric alarms respond to particles in the air — created by smoldering fires or steamy showers. They’re less prone to false alarms caused by cooking, so consider them for areas near kitchens,” Deitrick said.

Ionization alarms, on the other hand, are triggered by the small particles given off by an open flame so an active kitchen will often produce false alarms. They’re better installed near steamy bathrooms.

For the best protection, Consumer Reports recommends dual-sensor alarms which use both types of technology or a combination of photoelectric and ionization alarms throughout your home.

Brandschutztechnik Müller is one of the leading German manufacturers of fire extinguisher test techniques. Founded in 1980, the company has 65 employees at three locations. As a classic mechanical engineering company, the company manufactures equipment for the production, inspection and service of fire extinguishers.  An additional business segment is the trade with fire protection equipment, which, for example, also offers the Quicklight lighting unit developed in-house.

PowderSuctionMachine as the cornerstone

In 1980, company founder Herbert Müller laid the foundation for the company’s success with a powder suction machine. Meanwhile, Brandschutztechnik Müller produces a wide range of filling devices for fire extinguishers, the corresponding test and measuring devices as well as tools and innovative high-pressure fire extinguishing units. The range also includes carbon dioxide filling units, hydrant testing pumps and flow meters for riser pipes and hydrants.

Used in more than 90 countries

All of the family business’s products come from its two locations in Zierenberg in northern Hesse and one in Günthersleben in Thuringia. All the necessary individual parts are manufactured exclusively in Germany. Voluntary fire brigades, professional and factory fire brigades as well as service companies in far more than 90 countries rely on the high quality of Brandschutztechnik Müller for testing units and accessories.

Specialized trade for fire protection equipment

More than 11,000 articles are available through the specialized trade for fire protection equipment of Brandschutztechnik Müller GmbH. The range extends from personal protective equipment to hydraulic rescue equipment and the in-house developed universal lighting units Quicklight as well as Quicklight LEDmini, which are portable and ready for immediate use. As many Müller employees are active in volunteer fire brigades themselves, customers benefit from practical know how and an intensive expert dialogue.

Contact:

Brandschutztechnik Müller GmbH

Kasseler Strasse 37-39

D-34289 Zierenberg, Germany

Phone +49 (0) 5606 . 51 82 50

Fax +49 (0) 5606 . 51 82 55

Mail: info@brandschutztechnikmueller.de

www.muellergermany.com

Altronix, the recognized leader in power and data transmission solutions for the professional security industry, introduces the latest additions to its extensive line of NAC Power Extenders with a unique rack solution. These new units are ideal for installations where wall space is limited or not an option, providing system designers flexibility when specifying fire alarm systems.

“This rack mount solution streamlines system design and provides installers with a versatile option to deploy fire signaling power, vertically – saving valuable space,” said Ronnie Pennington, Director of Sales, Americas for Altronix Corporation. “The units’ extendable drawer simplifies installation and service – increasing total cost of ownership.”

R1002ULADA offers 2-Class A or 4-Class B outputs and model R1042ULADA offers 4-Class A or 4-Class B outputs. Both provide 24VDC at 10A and interface with virtually any Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP). Outputs can be independently programmed for steady, temporal code 3 or strobe synchronization, as well as repeating a specific signal utilizing Input to Output Follower Mode. These units synchronize with Potter/Amseco^®, Gentex^®, System Sensor^® and CooperWheelock^® notification appliances. Built-in battery charging provides system backup when coupled with RE2R, rack mount battery (red) enclosure which accommodates four 12VDC/7AH batteries.

Special features include a horn/strobe sync mode that allows audible notification appliances and visual notification appliances to be silenced at the same time, signal circuit trouble memory to help identify intermittent loop problems, and common trouble input and output for external trouble signals.

The Altronix R1002ULADA and R1042ULADA NAC Power Extenders are NDAA and TAA compliant and carry a lifetime warranty.

For more information on Altronix’s extensive line of products, call toll free 1-888-258-7669, e-mail info@altronix.com or visit www.altronix.com.

But most house fires are preventable — anyone can create a fire escape plan and make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. Here are the top fire safety tips to learn and practice in your home.

How to prevent house fires

US fire departments respond to a house fire every 24 seconds. That’s more than 3,000 fires each day. House fires can occur for a variety of reasons, but many are preventable. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires, accounting for half of house fires in 2015, followed by heating equipment, electrical malfunction, intentional fires and smoking materials.

You can take necessary steps today to reduce your risk of house fires. Here’s how:

• Install and maintain smoke alarms on every floor of your home and within every bedroom. Roughly half of house fire deaths occur during the night, while people are sleeping.
• Never leave food cooking unattended, especially deep fryers and other frying equipment.
• Avoid using portable and fixed space heaters, as heating equipment is the second leading cause of house fire deaths.
• Create a fire plan that gets you out of your home in less than 2 minutes and practice it.
• Avoid smoking in the house.

Electrical safety and house fire prevention

Electrical malfunctions are one of the leading causes of house fires. The best way to prevent them is to hire a qualified electrician to make any changes in your home’s wiring. In addition, be sure to check electrical cords regularly, and make sure cords do not run across doorways or under carpets where they could be damaged. Remember to limit the number of plugs you have in an electrical outlet or power strip. Overloading an electrical outlet can not only trip a breaker, but it could also start a fire. Additionally, only use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage for each lamp. Your lamps and light fixtures should have a sticker that indicates the maximum wattage light bulb you may use.

Testing your smoke detector could save your life

Every smoke alarm should be tested monthly by pushing the “test” button, and batteries should be changed when needed. It is best to always have at least one spare battery. If your smoke alarm ever “chirps,” it is time to replace the battery immediately. Most smoke alarm failures occur because of a missing, disconnected or dead battery.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that three out of every five house fire deaths resulted from fires where there were non-working smoke detectors or no smoke detectors at all. Having the proper fire safety equipment in your home can truly save your life. There are many brands and types of smoke alarms you can choose from. You can purchase a smoke detector with a full home security system and have it monitored through a provider’s monitoring center. When choosing the best smoke alarm, look for one that meets the Underwriters Laboratories Standard with the UL label on the packaging.

Where to install smoke detectors

The NFPA recommends installing a smoke alarm on every floor, including the basement, and inside every sleeping room. Because smoke rises during a fire, smoke alarms should be mounted high on a wall not more than a foot from the ceiling or on the ceiling.

• Kitchen: It is critical to mount smoke alarms in the kitchen at least 10 feet from any cooking appliance to minimize false alarms when cooking.
• Basement: Smoke alarms in the basement should be installed on the ceiling near the bottom step of the stairs up to the first floor.

How to use a fire extinguisher

Fire extinguishers are helpful for putting out small fires. You can contact your local fire department for fire extinguisher training. Or, follow these simple recommendations from the US Fire Administration. To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word “PASS:”

• Pull the pin. Hold the fire extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you and remove the pin to unlock it.
• Aim low. Point the nozzle at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
• Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

Fire extinguishers should be checked regularly and tested by a professional every few years.

Different types of fire extinguishers

It’s also useful to know that there are five different types of fire extinguishers for putting out different kinds of fires.

• Class A extinguishers: For use on materials like cloth, wood and paper.
• Class B extinguishers: For use on combustible and flammable liquids like oil, gasoline and grease.
• Class C extinguishers: Best for electrical equipment and appliances like stoves, televisions and computers.
• Class D extinguishers: For use with flammable metals.
• Class K extinguishers: Best for cooking oils commonly found in commercial kitchens, including vegetable oil.

Most dwellings have a multipurpose extinguisher that covers Classes A, B and C. You can purchase these types of fire extinguishers at any home improvement store.

Create an fire escape plan with your family

House fires can rapidly spread, and every second counts. Your fire escape plan should allow you and your family to get out of the house in under two minutes once the alarm sounds.

Here some tips for creating your fire escape plan:

• Draw a floor plan of your entire house that shows all the doors and windows.
• Show and discuss the plan with everyone in the house.
• Identify at least two ways out of every room, if possible. This could be through doors or windows.
• Once outside, everyone should meet at an agreed-upon meeting place a safe distance from the house. It could be the mailbox or the neighbor’s fence. Just make sure it is easy for young children to get there.

Everyone in your family should know how to dial 911 in the case of an emergency. In addition, teach your children what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do if they hear one.

You can also download a kid-friendly fire escape planning worksheet and complete it with your family.

Basic fire safety tips for kids and families

Help your family stay safe in the event of a fire. Do not let children play with matches, lighters or candles. Keep these items up and away from young children. In addition, teach your kids these basic fire safety tips to help ensure they know what to do during a fire emergency.

• Teach children that if a doorknob is hot, you should NOT open the door.
• Teach children how to “Stop, drop and roll.”
• Teach your kids to crawl on their hands and knees if they see smoke.
• Take your child to the fire department to meet a firefighter. This way, they learn what a firefighter looks like in their fire gear.
• Teach your child to never hide under the bed or in the closet.

There’s no guarantee that a fire will never happen in your home. That’s why it’s important to be prepared and take steps to reduce the risk of a house fire. Follow the three P’s: prevent, plan and practice. Make sure your home has working smoke alarms, your family has a fire escape plan, and you have practiced it.

Because damage can be widespread and severe, responders need effective and rapid consequence modeling of the hazardous materials emanating from a fire.

Fire and explosion accidents are of major concern to the owners and operators of refineries and petrochemical, gas processing, terminal, and offshore facilities. Statistics have shown that the majority of monetary loss in these types of complexes is due to fire and explosion.

According to statistics, 77 percent of the monetary loss in refinery and petrochemical complexes is due to fire and explosion.1 The breakout of accidents due to fire and explosion is 65 percent vessel (container) and vapor cloud explosion and 35 percent fire. The causes of these accidents are mostly attributed to mechanical issues, process upset, and operator error.

Fire in an industrial setting can pose a number of hazards for the facility, its personnel, and the surrounding communities and can result in an assortment of damage. The release of a flammable material may result in several scenarios: a fireball, pool fire, flash fire, flare or jet fire, and an unconfined vapor cloud explosion.

Two of the main inherent hazards associated with fires are thermal radiation and smoke. Smoke is defined as the products of combustion, including toxic gases, water vapor, and carbon soot particles. The smoke created from fire poses two types of danger. Soot particles may obscure visibility, and hazardous chemicals may constitute a health hazard due to inhalation and eye irritation.

A fire also may present indirect hazards. One is its possible impingement on a vessel containing liquid, such as a large storage tank. In this circumstance, a condition called BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) may occur. Boilover is a second indirect hazard caused by the effects of a fire. Boilover is especially dangerous when water is used to put out oily hydrocarbon liquid fires from a vessel. In the following paragraphs, we describe each of the above items in more detail.

Types of Fire Hazards

Thermal radiation. One of the main dangers of fire is its thermal radiation and the effect of that radiation on people and property. Thermal radiation diminishes with the inverse square of distance. The American Petroleum Institute and TNO, a Dutch research group, have published books explaining how to estimate the thermal radiation impact and the radiation’s estimated damage potential based on distance from a fire. According to these guides, the thermal radiation necessary to generate second degree burns on exposed skin is 9500W/m2 (~370 C), given an exposure duration of more than 20 seconds.

Smoke. Fires generate smoke, which is a mixture of soot particles, toxic gases, and water vapor. Factors such as smoke yield, fire size, particle size, and ambient conditions dictate smoke’s transport into the environment. Studies show that soot particles can be generated in a range of 0 to 20 percent of fuel by weight during a pool fire. However, the air-to-fuel ratio and the amount of carbon in the molecular structure of chemicals play a major role in soot yield.

A higher soot rate is expected for a large pool fire with heavy hydrocarbon fuels. Soot particles in a range of 0.01 to 10 microns are respirable and can penetrate into the alveolar region of the lungs. A mean soot particle size for the majority of these fuels can be considered 5 microns. The generated soot particles may adsorb toxic gases from the products of combustion, which present public health concerns due to the inhalation potential of these toxic particles. Given this, the downwind dispersion and deposition of these particles and their effects on the environment and humans is of major concern.

For example, consider a pool fire of 4500 Kg crude oil in a diameter of 40 meters that generates a soot particle plume. The soot particles yield a maximum of 20 percent of crude oil mass. The weather conditions are assumed to be unstable with a wind speed of 5 m/s and ambient temperature of 70º F.

Soot particle concentrations are considered in the three isopleth levels of 1, 10, and 100 mg/m3. In this case, the soot particles are rising to high elevation due to high temperature and buoyancy. Thereafter, the soot particle plume starts to touch the ground about 1,200 meters distance from the fire source. In this example, calculations show soot particles can expose a region of 4,500 meters distance, after two hours of simulation, which would represent the area to be notified of possible evacuation or shelter-in-place.

Ground-level soot particle deposition occurs in a wide area with a distance of 8,000 meters. The isopleth concentrations on the ground are defined in the three levels of 1, 10, and 100 mg/m2. This mapped information helps hazmat and emergency responders to identify the high impact areas of soot particle deposition for immediate evacuation. However, it should be noted that wind speed and direction, pool fire size, soot yield, and soot particle size can change the impact of the soot plume on the environment and the population located near the fire.

Deliberate ignition

Fire can sometimes be a great tool for mitigating a hazardous chemical’s potential impact. The technique of igniting gases containing hazardous chemical substances has been successfully used for many years at oil and gas well sites. A prime example is the sour gas from wells; considerable amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are contained in the natural gas.

Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs and is extremely toxic and irritating, even in a lower concentration such as 100 ppm. The dispersion of 40,000 ppm H2S in the sour gas can create a large hazard zone in the ambient. However, igniting the sour gas will produce CO2, CO, and a small amount of SO2, plus unburnt H2S, with no ground-level impact of the H2S. Therefore, fire can sometimes serve as an effective mitigation technique for hazard reduction.

BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion)

BLEVE is a phenomenon that is caused by an external fire impinging on a storage vessel, causing the heating of the liquid contents with a resulting pressure buildup. If the vessel’s relief valve is not designed to vent the vapor as fast as it is generated or the relief valve malfunctions, then the vessel may fail completely, resulting in an explosion with vessel fragments being projected over the surrounding area. These fragments have the real potential to puncture pipes or other vessels in the vicinity of the explosion, causing a domino effect. Fragment projectiles traveling distances of up to one mile have been reported in a BLEVE.

Boilover

When fighting semi-enclosed oil or petrochemical fueled fires using water, a secondary hazardous event called boilover may occur that is extremely dangerous. Some of the water will sink to the bottom of the tank or other vessel due to density differences, which will result in the formation of a water layer. The heat from the fuel will ultimately boil the water, creating steam. The rapidly expanding steam expels the fuel upward to boil over and out of the container, discharging the still-ignited fuel onto a large and uncontrolled area outside the container. The best way to prevent this phenomenon is to open the valve at the bottom of the tank to drain the water.

A common household example of this phenomenon can occur when water is used to put out a burning pan of cooking oil.

Vessel Venting/Flare

When dealing with a vessel that is about to explode, one option is to vent and burn the discharging material, basically turning the explosive event with its uncontrolled disaster potential into fire which has a lower hazard impact and is more controllable.

Conclusion

This article has exposed the many faces of fire hazards and fire damage possible in an industrial setting. The details presented highlight the need for effective and rapid consequence modeling of hazardous materials emanating from a fire. Such modeling can help firefighters, hazmat teams, and other emergency responders properly study and better understand the impact of the many hazards associated with fire, such as thermal radiation, toxic smoke, and particulates, thus enabling better situational analysis and more informed decision making during and after a fire event.

Such analysis and decision making permits faster life-saving measures to be undertaken regarding evacuation, shelter-in-place, and other essential response actions. In the end, these measures help to reduce the potential for injury, loss of life, and property and environmental damage.

Fire extinguishers can stop small accidents from turning into full-blown catastrophes. Whether it starts with a pan of oil left to smoke while you’re checking on the kids or a plugged-in curling iron left beside a curtain, small blazes aren’t all that uncommon in the modern household. But fire can spread quickly — and a singed curtain or blackened pan are nothing compared to a seriously damaged home.

Fortunately, fire extinguishers can help stop that escalation, if you have the right kind, at the right place, at the right time. Problem is, many of us don’t know much about when and how to use fire extinguishers — if we even have one.

That’s where we come in. Here are all your questions about fire extinguishers answered.

Are there different types of fire extinguishers?

You bet there are. When you shop for fire extinguishers, they come with classifications (A, B, C, D and K) corresponding to which fires the model puts out. Here’s a basic breakdown of each letter represents:

A: Fires from wood, cotton, and cloth

B: Flammable liquids (cooking sprays, gasoline, etc.)

C: Fires resulting from live electricity

D: Flammable metals

K: Cooking oils (restaurants must have these kinds)

Some extinguishers will put out a variety of fires. It is not uncommon for some to have A, B, and C capabilities. It indicates they can put out all common kinds of household fires.

Moreover, Underwriters Laboratories measures the effectiveness of each extinguisher relative to the type of fire they put out. When you read a label, it might say the unit has a 3-A rating. The higher the numeric rating, the more effective it is at putting out a type of fire.

Does weight matter?

Fire extinguishers do come in different sizes. Generally, the heavier it is, the more extinguishing power it provides. However, wielding a 10-pound model in the midst of an already chaotic moment might be a little more than you want to handle. Striking the right balance between size and functionality is important — and the right choice will largely depend on what you feel comfortable handling.

For specific areas, you may consider smaller units — such as 5-pound canisters for the kitchen. These are easier to grab and maneuver, making it easier to put out a small fire. Some even attach above the stove. If you go this route, buy one that has pressured cans that pop open from the heat of the flames, releasing baking soda.

You can also buy even smaller (2-pound models) for your vehicle. It is a wise option to have on hand in case your car engine catches on fire.

How many extinguishers should I have in my home?

You should have at least one near your kitchen, where most common house fires start. If you live in a multilevel home, consider having one for each level of your home. Along with placing one in the kitchen, have one near the exit of your house as well. It can ensure a safer getaway if flames are close to your house’s entry points.

How do I use them?

Use the PASS method to put out a fire. To start, you want to stand 6 to 8 feet away from the flame. Next, remove the pin to operate. Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire, then squeeze the lever. As it discharges, use a sweeping motion (think side to side) to put out the flame.

After the fire goes out, watch it closely to ensure it does not start again. And if it does, follow the same steps.

If the fire gets out of control, the best course of action is to get to safety and allow emergency services to assist with fighting the flame.

How long do extinguishers last?

Some household fire extinguishers contain dry chemicals. Over time, these chemicals can lose their charge. Further, with compressed gas units, the seals loosen over time, resulting in leaks.

You can determine how long your unit lasts by examining the expiration date on the tag. Most models last anywhere from five to 15 years. And with some models, you can have them professionally recharged to extend their life.

To see if your extinguisher is in working condition, you need to inspect the pressure gauge (if applicable) located at the top of the extinguisher. If the needle is in the green area, then it should work. Moving forward, set up a time each month to inspect the pressure gauge. Doing so ensures your model will work when you need it the most.

Are extinguishers rechargeable?

There are multiple types of extinguishers available. Some are for one-time use. Once you discharge them, you will need to replace the unit, as they will not be fully operational as intended for emergencies.

Meanwhile, some models do have recharge capabilities. With these, you need to recharge them once you use them or during long periods of inactivity. To do so, a certified fire equipment dealer must do the recharge for you. You can use this directory to find a dealer near you.

Other considerations

Some extinguishers (cartridge-operated and carbon-dioxide) will not have gauges. For cartridge-operated units, check the indicator to ensure it is depressed. Meanwhile, in the case of carbon dioxide models, weigh the unit, then compare the weight to the information on the tag. If there is a substantial difference, then it indicates your extinguisher could be empty.

Another part of the monthly inspection involves checking the tamper seal. Inspect it to make sure it holds the pulling pin and does not have any damage.

You also want to check the hose for damages or any signs of leaks. If you notice some, and the model has recharge capabilities, take it to a certified specialist for repair.

You can also keep your home and your loved ones safe with these helpful guides:

ZIEGLER has delivered the first tanker, a TLF 4000, with the new ALPAS super structure and the new Z-Control.

The Gangelt fire department is the first customer to receive a tanker with ALPAS and Z-Control of the latest generations. ALPAS of the latest generation offers up to 30 % less weight compared to the previous super structure as well as up to 10 % more space volume due to protected arrangement of the shutters on the roof.

You can find more information about ALPAS of the latest generation here: https://www.ziegler.de/the-new-alpas. The new Z-Control also offers exciting innovations: The user guidance is intuitive and self-explanatory, which makes the pump control even easier and usable for everyone.

An assistance system for warnings and errors is also built in. More information about the new Z-Control can be found here: https://www.ziegler.de/the-new-z-control.

The vehicle also has a 6,000-liter water tank, a 500 + 200-liter foam tank, an Alco APF 3-C electric roof-turret with lift and operation via Z-Control as well as a ZIEGLER ZW 800 electric bumper turret, also operated via Z-Control and has a total weight of less than 18 tons.
Basic Information

• Type TLF 4000
• Customer Gemeinde Gangelt
• Chassis Type MAN TGM 18.320 4×4
• Wheelbase 4,200 mm
• Performance 235 kW / 320 PS
• Total weight 18,000 kg
• Water tank 6,000 l
• Foam Tank 500 l + 200 l
• Pump ZIEGLER FPN 10-3000-1H
• Cabin / Crew Original MAN C Compact cabin, 1+2

Additional Special Equipment

• ZIEGLER Foam System 96
• ZIEGLER Top-Integro Line marker light
• Side LED marker lights Z-Vision Side
• Tailgate with integrated shutters
• Eletrical roof turret Alco APF 3-C withlift and operation via Z-Control
• Electrical front turret ZIEGLERZW 800 with Z-Controloperation
• Self-protection system
• Pneumatic lightmast with4 LEDheadlights