Three Ways to Put Out a Household Fire

Anthony Consentino is a Putnam-based teacher at Woonsocket High School in Rhode Island. Though he holds a master’s degree in History, Anthony Consentino trained to become a fire instructor at the State of Connecticut Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. He is a certified firefighter and works as a volunteer fireman at the Putnam Fire Department in Connecticut.

There are several ways to put out a fire if you do not have an extinguisher or cannot use one.

The first and most common method is water. Fires need oxygen to survive, and the vaporization process that occurs when you douse a fire with water ensures it is starved of oxygen and put out. Use buckets of water or a hose to put out ordinary fires and cooking fires but never use it for electrical fires.

Another way to put out a fire is with a blanket. This method is your best option if the fire is small and in an isolated area. A blanket, like water, starves the fire of oxygen and extinguishes it. You can use specially designed fire blankets or douse regular blankets in water.

The third and final method is baking soda. This method only applies to cooking fires and must be done immediately before the fire grows. All you need to do is take a handful of baking soda and throw it at the fire from a safe distance.