You’re at work and a fire breaks out.

You jump into action, rush over to the fire extinguisher, grab it off the wall, and then…

Well, what exactly?

You’re never used a fire extinguisher before and you’re not exactly sure how it works.

But you also know that every second counts. The fire is still manageable, but it won’t be for long.

Thankfully, there’s a simple acronym to guide you when using a fire extinguisher: P.A.S.S.

It’s easy to remember and will help you use the extinguisher with confidence, even if it’s your first time.

Let’s break down each part of the acronym.

The P.A.S.S. System

P.A.S.S. stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep.

Follow those steps, in that order, to use a fire extinguisher effectively.

Pull

Pull the pin.

Fire extinguishers have a pin in place to prevent it from accidentally being discharged before it’s needed.

This is a great feature. It ensures that the extinguisher is fully loaded when you need it. A fire incident is also a high-stress situation, so it would be easy for you to accidentally discharge the extinguisher before reaching the fire. The pin keeps that from happening.

It also means that the extinguisher won’t work until the pin is removed. That’s why they’re designed to be pulled quickly and easily.

So, once you reach the fire, pull the pin and move on to the next steps.

Aim

The next step is to aim the nozzle of the extinguisher at the fire.

That may sound too obvious to mention, but it’s actually quite easy to get it wrong.

See, most people instinctively point the nozzle at the flames. That won’t be terribly effective, however. A lot of the extinguishing materials will be blown through the fire and won’t do much to extinguish it.

Instead, aim for the base of the fire.

Think of it as the source of the fire. Once it’s completely smothered, the fire will be snuffed out.

Squeeze

Ready. Aim. Fire.

You’ve pulled the pin and aimed the nozzle. Now it’s time to squeeze the handle and spray the extinguishing material on the base of the fire.

Sweep

Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

The goal is to cover as much of the fire’s base as possible. If you keep the extinguisher aimed at a single spot, the materials around it can keep feeding the fire – or reignite after you thought it was extinguished.

Additional Fire Extinguisher Tips

  • Don’t stand too close to the fire – staying about six feet away will keep you safe while letting the extinguishing material reach the fire
  • Keep an eye on the area after the fire is extinguished – it’s possible for a fire to reignite after being extinguished, so be there to catch it if it does
  • The fire extinguisher is only meant for small fires – if the fire is spreading quickly or too large to extinguish, evacuate the premises and let the firefighters handle it