Mobile Suppression

Mobile fire suppression takes on many forms. It covers everything from fire extinguishers to fire trucks and airplanes used to put out fires. This section describes the typical systems used with different mobile apparatus.

A) Fire Extinguishers: Fire extinguishers are the most common method used to put out small fires. Extinguishers come in many sizes, types and colors. Every fire extinguisher should have what type of fire it can be used on displayed on it in clear view. The following outline shows the most common types of extinguishers and what type of combustible they can be used on.

1. Dry Chemical: Dry powder is pressurized in the extinguisher and when sprayed onto the fire inhibits the chemical reaction that allows the fuel to burn and thus put the fire out. These extinguishers include Type A, Type B, Type C, Type D and combination.

2. Water: Pressurized water in the extinguisher is used to cool the fuel and put the fire out. These extinguishers should be use for free burning or Type A materials only.

3. Foam: A pressurized mix of foam and water in the extinguisher is used to cool the fuel and isolate oxygen from the combustible and thus put out the fire. These types of extinguishers include Type A and Type B.

4. CO2: Pressurized carbon dioxide vapor is used to separate the fuel from the oxygen and put the fire out. They can be used on Type B and Type C materials.

5. Halon: Pressurized Halon vapor is used to isolate the fuel from any oxygen by bonding to the oxygen molecules which eliminates the available oxygen from the immediate area and therefore puts the fire out. It can be used on Type B and Type C combustibles.

6. Halotron: Pressurized Halotron vapor is used just like the above Halon except it is much more environmentally friendly.

7. Purple K: Pressurized chemical powder used for specialized petroleum products such as cooling oil used in large scale capacitors or other similar petroleum based product. Extreme care should be used if this type of extinguisher is used because the chemicals can cause major damage to some products like electrical circuits and others.

B) Land-Vehicle Mounted Suppression Systems: Land-vehicle systems include many different types of apparatus. The most common is the fire engine that most people think of when they say fire truck. Others include wild land trucks, tanker trucks and aerial engines or ladder trucks. Each of these is equipped with water to extinguish fires and many modern vehicles have the ability to mix foam into the water stream(s) during an attack.

1. Water: Used for Type A Ordinary Combustibles Only. Used on all fire trucks, the option of adding foam is usually available on modern trucks.

2. Foam: Mixed foam and water system used to suppress fires. Includes Type A and Type B. Used on most modern fire trucks.

C) Air-Vehicle Mounted Suppression Systems: Air-vehicle systems also include many types of apparatus, but the most common are the tanker planes and helicopter buckets. Each of these can carry different types of the following agents, but water is the most used with dry chemicals second.

1. Dry Chemical: Dry powder that is dropped from the air. Includes Type A, Type B, Type C, Type D & Combination. Mainly used for out of control forest fires

2. Water: Water that is dropped from the air. Usually for forest fires. Used for Free Burning Materials Only

3. Foam: Mixture of foam and water that is dropped from the air. Includes Type A and Type B. Mainly for marine and forest fires.

D) Fire Blanket: Fire Blanket are specially designed blankets that are mainly used to extinguish pan or small-contained fires. They are also used to extinguish humans on fire.

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