FACTS

1. Proper inspection, maintenance, and disposal of fire extinguishers can prevent potentially dangerous malfunctions.
2. All rechargeable-type fire extinguishers should be recharged after any use or when the need is indicated by an inspection or servicing.
3. Environmental forces and intentional acts may cause problems with extinguishers.
4. A tamper-evident fire extinguisher cabinet can protect against the impacts of moisture and sunlight.
5. Responsible parties must ensure that extinguishers are protected in a way that doesn’t limit access in an emergency.
6. Cabinets housing fire extinguishers should not be locked, except where fire extinguishers are subject to malicious use and cabinets include a means of emergency access.
7. Risks to extinguishers may prompt more rigorous weekly or daily inspections focused on damage.
8. Only trained professionals should maintain or recharge extinguishers.
9. Acting on inspections with subsequent maintenance can prevent or rectify problems with extinguishers.

STATS

• Fire extinguishers can effectively put out 80% of all fires, even if the extinguisher is classified as a portable unit. When a fire extinguisher is used on a fire in the United States, 75% of the time, the fire department is not required to attend the incident. 
• In 60% of all fire incidents which occur, the fire department is never notified if a fire extinguisher is present and accessible. Almost 2 million fires are handled entirely by a fire extinguisher in the U.S. every year. 
• Data in Europe on fire extinguisher use is similar to data generated in the United States. In 2,600 tracked incidents, 81.5% of incidents with a portable fire extinguisher resulted in a fire being extinguished. In 74.6% of the incidents, the fire department was not required.