Quick Tip of the week

Fire extinguishers come in several varieties in the UK, use this guide to the most common types of fire fighting device to choose the right ones for your home;

• Water (Red) - These are unsuitable for electrical or oil fires, and should not be used in the kitchen or when a fire has been caused by an electrical fault.
• Foam (Red with cream panel) - Foam is suitable for liquid fires (i.e. petrol), and can be used with electrical fires. My not be suitable for cooking oil fires.
• Dry Powder (Red with blue panel) - Dry powder can be used on any type of fire, but it's messy
• CO2 (Red with black panel) - The best type for electrical fires, sprays harmless Carbon Dioxide gas to smother electrical and petrol fires.
• Fire Blanket - a fireproof blanket that can be used to smother cooking oil fires. Small and easy to accommodate in even a small kitchen, this is a must if you frequently fry in oil.

As always, your own safety must come first. Only attempt to extinguish small localised fires on your own, and if it does not immediately extinguish, phone your local fire department and evacuate the area.