Fire extinguisher maintenance

[REW]

Since the boats are starting to hit the water - make sure that you have perfomed maintenance on all of your fire extinguishers.
Boat, vehicle, garage, and house.

1. Check - your gauges, and or fill indicator - to insure that the extinguisher has a full charge.

2. Check to insure that the locking pin is in place and intact.

3. Turn the extinguisher up side down and bang on the side with a rubber mallet. This will loosen the extinguisher particles and insure that they won't be packed down, if the need arises to use the extinguisher.

4. When the extinguisher is off its mounting bracket - double check the bracket fastner itself for broken parts, and also check the bracket fastners for secure mounts. You don't want the extinguisher coming loose from its mounting bracket in a big wave, and causing damage, or being lost over board.

Take care
REW

[rickn]

We store them upside down where we can on the firetrucks, so when they are used, it shakes the powder loose. Can't do this everywhere, but we do it where we can.

[eric]

don't forget the 6 yr. rebuild and prussure check.

[Starfish]

Amen-- it's really important to occasionally shake them to loosen up the powder. The first time I ever tried to use one on the water, it was all caked up and didn't work. Luckily I was able to bail some water on the flames and put them out with no real damage.