– If fire extinguishers are supposed to be directed at the base of the fire, why do large fires often have firefighters on extended ladders shooting water from above?

Question

– If fire extinguishers are supposed to be directed at the base of the fire, why do large fires often have firefighters on extended ladders shooting water from above?

In: 13

Answer 1

For the same reason that doctors don’t perform surgery with the rules for basic first-aid.

The idea behind a fire extinguisher isn’t to make sure everyone knows everything there is to know about how to professionally fight a fire. It’s something simple everyone could learn that will help with many minor problems.

Real firefighters, fighting a huge, out of control fire, are trained in all the specific things they should be doing in any given circumstance. That is way more than the sort of instructions that will fit on a label in large-print.