A Row of Fire Extinguishers Suitable for Personal Vehicles
Fires can occur at any time in your car, whether due to faulty electrical installations or other external factors. There are quite a few cases of car fires that have resulted in cars being completely burned due to a lack of response when small signs of fire begin to appear.
In 2020, the government established regulations for car manufacturers to include Fire Extinguishers (APAR) in their vehicles. This regulation is relatively new and only applies to newly manufactured cars. However, it is not impossible that older cars will also be required to have fire extinguishers for the benefit of car users.
The use of car fire extinguishers is very important for extinguishing fires that mostly originate from under the hood in the engine compartment. This part is very difficult to open and hard to extinguish if not opened. If you use a fire extinguisher, extinguishing the fire will be easier.
Types of Fire Extinguishers for Personal Cars
There are several types of fire extinguishers suitable for your car. Each type has its own advantages.
1. Water Type Fire Extinguisher
The first type of fire extinguisher is the high-pressure water type. This water type extinguisher is indeed the cheapest. However, this water type extinguisher can only be used to extinguish solid materials that are not metals, such as paper, plastic, rubber, and the like. This water type extinguisher is only suitable for Class A fires.
2. Chemical Powder Type Fire Extinguisher
This type of extinguisher is more suitable for fires caused by electricity. The contents of this chemical powder type extinguisher consist of mono ammonium and ammonium sulfate. This extinguisher is suitable for Class C fires.
3. Carbon Dioxide Type Fire Extinguisher
The carbon dioxide type extinguisher is the most suitable type for personal cars. It can extinguish fires caused by electrical issues, liquids such as oil, alcohol, paper, and so on. This type of extinguisher can be used for Class A, B, and C fires.
4. Foam Type Fire Extinguisher
This type of extinguisher is suitable for extinguishing fires caused by solid non-metal objects and liquids, such as paper, rubber, plastic, oil, alcohol, and so on. The foam type extinguisher is suitable for Class A and B fires.
How to Extinguish Fire with a Fire Extinguisher
When your car suddenly catches fire, do not panic. Panic only makes it difficult for you to think and find a good solution.
What you need to do is pull the vehicle over to a safe place. Turn off the engine, then start extinguishing the fire using the fire extinguisher that is already in the car.
In this process, you should try to open the car hood first and then start spraying the extinguisher towards the engine. When opening the hood, you should be positioned beside the car, not in front of it. Because the fire usually shoots out towards the front. You can spray the extinguisher from the side of the car.
Emergency Conditions Without a Fire Extinguisher
So what if there is no fire extinguisher in the car? You can use a cloth such as a shirt or a wet blanket and place it over the fire. The goal is to block the oxygen that will make the fire grow larger.
You can also ask people nearby for help in extinguishing the fire in the car. It would be fortunate if someone happens to have a fire extinguisher in their car and lends it to you.
Author: Iskael
