SAMPLE ANSWERS

Understanding Fire Extinguishing Basics

• What are the three main ways to extinguish a fire?
  • Remove heat, cut off oxygen, or take away fuel.
  • Cool it with water, smother it with dirt or a blanket, or separate it from flammable materials.
• Why is it important to remove one element of the fire triangle to extinguish a fire?
  •  A fire can’t keep burning if heat, fuel, or oxygen is missing.
  • It’s like breaking a cycle—without all three, the fire will go out.
• What happens if you only partially extinguish a fire?
  • The fire can reignite, especially if there’s still heat or fuel.
  • Smoldering embers can grow back into a full fire if left unattended.

Methods to Put Out Different Types of Fires

• How do you safely put out a campfire?
  • Pour water over it while stirring the ashes with a stick until it’s completely cool.
  • Cover it with sand or dirt and ensure no embers are glowing.
• What should you do if a fire starts in your kitchen (e.g., grease fire)?
  • Turn off the heat source and cover the pan with a lid to smother the fire.
  • Use baking soda or a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires. Never use water!
• Why shouldn’t you use water to put out an electrical fire?
  • Water conducts electricity and could cause a dangerous shock.
  • It can make the fire worse by spreading electrical currents.
• How can sand or dirt help put out a fire?
  • Sand or dirt smothers the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply.
  • It’s a quick and effective method when water isn’t available.

Tools and Materials for Fire Extinguishing

• What common tools or materials can you use to put out a fire if a fire extinguisher isn’t available?
  •  Water, sand, dirt, or a heavy blanket.
  • Baking soda for small kitchen fires or a shovel to cover embers with dirt.
• How do you correctly use a fire extinguisher? (Hint: Think PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.)
  • Pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, and sweep side to side.
  • Focus on the base of the flames to stop the fire from spreading.

Safety During and After Extinguishing a Fire

• What should you do if a fire becomes too big to control?
  • Evacuate immediately and call emergency services.
  • Never try to fight a large fire yourself—it’s too dangerous.
• How can you check that a fire is fully extinguished?
  • Feel the area carefully to ensure it’s cool to the touch.
  • Look for glowing embers or smoke and douse them again with water or dirt.
• Why is it dangerous to leave smoldering embers or ashes?
  • They can reignite if wind blows on them or if fuel is nearby.
  • Even small embers can start a larger fire if left unchecked.