The U.S. Fire Administration Checklist Before You Use a Home Fire Extinguisher

Before anyone considers using a home fire extinguisher, the U.S. Fire Administration publishes six questions that must all be answered yes: others have been alerted, someone has called the fire department, the user is physically able, the fire is small and contained to one object or surface, the user is safe from toxic smoke, and there is a clear escape route. This source-led guide also explains the page’s limited checks for access and maintenance, the PASS operating steps, extinguisher classes and agents, and its guidance on listed labels and choosing the largest unit a user can safely and comfortably operate. It is not a storage-location ranking, product recommendation, substitute for smoke alarms, escape planning, sprinklers, leaving the building, or calling 911. If there is any doubt—or any checklist answer is not yes—the USFA guidance is to alert others, leave, and call 911 from a mobile or neighbor’s phone.