On November 18, 2016, Saegertown employees participated in portable fire extinguisher training. The workforce learned the A-B-Cs of portable fire extinguishers in the classroom, and had an opportunity to extinguish actual fires under controlled conditions.
Under the watchful guidance of ECS&R instructors, nearly 100 employees took advantage of the hands-on portion of the training. Two drums filled mostly with water and a thin layer of diesel fuel were set aflame. Using the P-A-S-S technique learned in the classroom, every employee was successful in extinguishing a fire.
Pull (the pin of an extinguisher)
Aim (the nozzle of the extinguisher at the fire)
Squeeze (the handle of the extinguisher)
Sweep (the extinguishing agent back and forth at the base of the flames)
The size of the fires modeled early stage fires. With basic training, these are fires that Saegertown employees are authorized to fight without the need for specialized personal protective equipment or advanced training.
Employees learned that a portable fire extinguisher can be an effective tool if used correctly. A number of participants were amazed that, in most cases, it took only seconds to extinguish a roaring blaze.
Employees expressed appreciation for having been given training on how to use an extinguisher to put out a fire. Many said that they would be purchasing extinguishers for their homes. In terms of EHS training effectiveness, it was time well spent. Mission accomplished.
Employees demonstrate efficient use of a portable fire extinguisher. Because of this training, employees state feeling more comfortable using an extinguisher if the need should arise.