Is it Safe to Place a Fire Extinguisher in the Car?
APAR or the abbreviation for Lightweight Fire Extinguisher is a mandatory equipment found in buildings to tackle minor fires before the fire spreads everywhere. Not only in buildings, APAR is also recommended to be placed in cars because there have been several incidents of cars suddenly catching fire. APAR can be used for early prevention before the fire completely engulfs the car.
So, is it safe to place APAR in cars? How should APAR be placed safely?
Regulations regarding the use of APAR in cars are actually outlined in the Regulation of the Director General of Land Transportation Number KP 927/ A 502/ DRJD/ 2020 concerning Emergency Response Facilities for Motor Vehicles. This regulation has been established since February 18, 2020.
Seeing that the regulations have been established, it is indirectly safe to place APAR in cars. So how should APAR be positioned correctly in cars?
How to Place APAR in Cars Safely
There are several things to consider when placing APAR in cars, including the following:
- APAR should be placed in an easily accessible location
- APAR must be securely fastened
- APAR should not be directly exposed to sunlight
- The cabin temperature of the car should not exceed 49 degrees Celsius
- The car owner should regularly check the condition of the APAR
The recommended location for placing APAR is under the driver's seat and securely fastened. Additionally, you can place APAR in other parts of the car that do not disturb other passengers and are easily accessible (to be taken) in case of an unwanted event (if a part of the car suddenly catches fire), for example in the rear trunk. However, it is still most advisable to place it closest to the driver.
APAR and Sunlight Exposure
Some people are overly afraid to park their cars containing APAR in areas directly exposed to sunlight (not indoors). They believe that APAR could explode. Is this true?
You do not need to worry about excessive fears. When there is APAR in the car, it is not directly exposed to sunlight. APAR will not explode immediately when exposed to the heat of sunlight entering the cabin.
The APAR cylinder is designed in such a way that it is not easily affected by outside temperatures. Therefore, the possibility of an APAR exploding due to the car being parked in an outdoor area is very small.
Why Should APAR Be Checked Regularly?
The reason APAR should be checked regularly is to ensure that it does not experience corrosion while in the car. This corrosion can be caused by drastic temperature changes in the cabin from cold to hot when the car is parked.
When in use, the car is cool because you turn on the AC. However, when parked, of course, you turn off the AC and the temperature inside the car becomes hotter. Such occurrences can continuously cause the APAR cylinder to experience corrosion. You should regularly check for any leaks in the APAR cylinder. Usually, a slight leak occurs if the cylinder experiences corrosion.
However, even if there is a slight leak, you do not need to worry about it exploding. What happens is only the air pressure inside the cylinder decreases, which will reduce the performance of the APAR when used later.
In addition to checking for slight leaks, you also need to check whether the cylinder cap is still clean or has become rusty.
So? With the information above, are you still afraid to place APAR in your car?
Author: Iskael
