Fire Systems & Equipment

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Fire Extinguishers | Types | Usage
Fire System Components & Equipment
Reporting Issues & Concerns

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are the most well-known pieces of fire safety equipment found in a typical building. Most people are familiar with what they look like and the basic concept of how to use one if necessary.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

There are three types of extinguishers that will be seen around campus most regularly.

ABC - This is the most common type found around campus because it can be used on the majority of fires. The ABC designation indicates that this extinguisher can be used on A, B, and C types of fires.

A - fires involving solid materials such as wood and paper
B - fires involving flammable liquids such as diesel and oil
C - fires involving gases

K - Found in kitchens around campus, these types of extinguishers are to be used on fires that involve cooking media such as fats, oils, or grease.

Halon - Used less and less often because of their negative environmental impacts, this type of extinguisher is placed in areas where sensitive equipment is located. These can be found in laboratories and areas where electrical or technological equipment is present.

A row of four different types of fire extinguishers: CO2, foam, powder, and water

Using a Fire Extinguisher

Should you encounter a fire while in a PSU space, and you feel comfortable doing so, fire extinguishers are nearby for use in putting out fires no larger than an office trash receptacle.

An easy to remember acronym for how to use a fire extinguisher is PASS:

P. Pull the pin

A. Aim at the base of the fire

S. Squeeze the handle / lever

S. Sweep from side to side keeping the nozzle pointed at the base of the fire

A guide of the PASS method to using a fire extinguisher. Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep.

Additional Fire System Components

Emergency Lighting - used in situations when the main power supply has been compromised to provide sufficient illumination for occupants to safety evacuate

Fire Panel - the "brain" of the fire detection system, it receives information from detection devices throughout a building and reports if anything is awry to various campus safety officials. In the event of a real fire, or triggers that may indicate a real fire, the fire department is notified immediately

Backup Power Supply - can be in the form of a backup generator or batteries that must be replaced periodically, this provides power to the fire systems should the main power supply become compromised

Stairwell Pressurization - mainly found in high-rise buildings, this system is designed to prevent smoke from leaking past closed doors and into the stairwell

Fire Curtains - similar to fire doors in that they offer fire and smoke resistance. These generally stay tucked away out of site until the smoke or fire alarms are activated, triggering them to close (Karl Miller Center is an excellent example)

Fire System Components & Equipment

Familiarizing yourself with systems and equipment that are in your buildings can help you know when something isn't quite right.

Common or Well Known Fire System Components

Fire Doors - a door with a fire resistance rating that serves to reduce the spread of fire and smoke between areas of a building

Fire Alarm & Strobes - notification devices used to visually and auditorily notify building occupants of the need to evacuate

Fire Alarm Pull Stations - a way for building occupants to manually initiate the fire alarm system in the case of a fire that has not yet been detected by other building systems

Sprinkler Systems - a fire protection system consisting of a water supply, sprinkler piping, and fire sprinklers which when activated work to distribute water to an area where a fire has been detected

Reporting Issues & Concerns

To report issues with building fire systems or equipment, submit a work order to the Work Order Control Center.

If you are unsure if an issue exists, contact the EHS-group@pdx.edu to assess the concern and determine if a Work Order is needed.