Test your safety smarts. How much do you really know?

Check out these FAQs about fire extinguishers and emergency lighting equipment. We want to be sure that you are as knowledgeable as possible. After all, there’s too much riding on the answers: the safety of your facility and its occupants!


First, let’s look at some common misconceptions about fire extinguishers:

Q: As long as I have fire extinguishers inspected and tagged once a year, I’m OK, right?
A: Not quite. An in-house person must be designated and properly trained by a professional to perform a “Quick Check” once a month in accordance with NFPA 10 to ensure proper performance.

Q: Do my fire extinguishers need to be recharged every year?
A: NO WAY! You need to recharge every 5, 6, or 12 years, as part of code-required maintenance or testing, depending on the type of fire extinguisher you have. The only thing that needs to be done annually: inspection and tagging.

Q: If units do not need to be recharged annually and the gauge is in the green, can I assume everything is fine?
A: No. Regardless of the type of fire extinguisher, it needs to be inspected and tagged annually. Commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities should follow the NFPA Life Safety Code to maintain equipment.

Q: Can I use fire extinguishers as doorstops?
A: ABSOLUTELY NOT! According to NFPA 10, all fire extinguishers must be hung at
least 4 inches off the floor and not more than 5 feet above the floor to the top of the handle, depending on type and size.

Q: I have water fire extinguishers in my school. That’s sufficient, isn’t it?
A: Probably not. Water fire extinguishers can only be used on paper and wood fires (ordinary combustibles or Class A fires), not on energized electrical equipment or grease.

Now, let’s consider emergency lighting equipment, exit signs, and central AC inverter systems:

Q: My new building is completely equipped with a variety of emergency lighting products. So, I’m all set, right?
A: WRONG! Our experience has proven that brand-new installations have a host of problems. For example, electrical contractors may neglect to connect batteries, and other failures with new electrical equipment usually occur within the first six months. All emergency lighting products must be properly maintained in accordance with NFPA, NEC, and other codes that regulate their specification, installation, and maintenance. Proper maintenance is the key to reliability.

As a leading independent contractor, we focus on the maintenance of life safety equipment in compliance with code requirements. We can do it better and more economically than in-house maintenance people.

Q: We have some old DC systems in our facility. They should still be OK, right?
A: Probably not. Unless they’ve been serviced properly, chances are they won’t work in the event of a power outage or other emergency. We can upgrade most existing 12-120 volt DC systems to “brand new” condition with our state-of-the-art retrofit charger plate and new batteries—at significant cost savings to you!

Q: I can hit the test switch for a few seconds on emergency lighting equipment. Doesn’t that tell me that the unit is OK?
A: No. All you’re doing is checking the proper operation of the lamps, test switch, and transfer mechanism. But you’re not checking the most important critical component: the battery. NFPA requirements call for a monthly minimum 30-second test to be sure that the battery keeps the lamps lit brightly to ensure safe egress in the event of a power outage or other emergency.

Do you realize how much time is required to perform monthly tests on all of your emergency lighting equipment? We do—and we do it right every time.

Q: Do we need a contract to work with you?
A: No contract is necessary. Life Safety Service will gladly tour your facility and make recommendations. Just give us a call when you need help with your life safety equipment. We’ll be there for you.