| Plain water (A*) | - Delivers a stream of water to cool the fire.
- Fires extinguished with water are prone to re-ignition if any embers remain.
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| Water mist (AC*) | - Delivers a fine mist to cool the fire.
- Safe for electrical fires (fine dispersal of mist does not allow an arc to be formed, which could result in electrocution).
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| CO2 (BC*) | - Smothers fires.
- Fires extinguished with CO2 are prone to re-ignition if any embers remain.
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Dry chemical - Sodium or potassium bicarbonate (BC*)
- Ammonium phosphate (ABC*)
| - Smothers fires.
- Dry chemical dust in BC and ABC extinguishers can cause respiratory irritation that may hinder rescue and evacuation attempts. Subsequently, this dust is difficult to remove from moist tissues and membranes.
- Fires extinguished with dry chemical extinguishers are seldom reignited due to the "blanket effect" of the dry chemical residue.
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| FE-36 (HFC-236fa) (ABC*) | - "Clean agent" (nontoxic, no residue, and ozone-safe).
- FE-36 (HFC-236fa) sensitizes the myocardium to catecholamines, but to a lesser extent than Halon[1].
- More expensive than other agents.
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| Halon and Halotron (ABC*) | - Extinguishes fires by displacement of oxygen and by cooling.
- Very portable.
- "Clean agent" (nontoxic, no residue, and ozone-safe).
- Safest extinguisher to use with sensitive electronic devices.
- Halon sensitizes the myocardium to catecholamines and may result in lethal cardiac arrhythmias[2].
- Fires extinguished with this type of extinguisher are prone to re-ignition.
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