While passing by inside the university, I saw a stall where some emergency personel were exhibiting their first aid and fire fighting stuff or something.

They are making a drawing lot and the winner gets a first aid kit or a fire extinguisher depending.

I talked a little with the guys at the fire stall. He asked me if I ever used a fire extinguisher. I said no and we went in a yard to show me how it works (without a fire). I practiced the PASS method with a water based fire extinguisher (kind of heavy) and now I got familiar with it. Then he used a dry powder fire extinguisher, I believe 5 lb. It developed a large cloud of vapor and the wind blew it in our direction so we had to bug-out. I felt some vapor on my face, which has a funny odor and taste (I guess I inhaled a small amount). I'm ok, it was not enough to be irritating.

Is this stuff toxic or something? I've read you cannot wash it with water as it is reactive and corrosive. I wish I never have to use one in my apartement.

Frankie

The dry chem powder can irritate your lungs, eyes, skin, etc. but that's pretty much it. If you're asthmatic, I suppose it could trigger an attack.

To clean up, I believe it is generally recommended that you sweep or vacuum the powder up. Don't use water. You're right, it's corrosive. I would kiss the electronics in my TV or computer good-bye, probably, if I ever had to blast it with dry chem powder.

I'm taking an 8-week emergency preparedness course now and we did the fire extinguisher training a couple weeks ago. They have this bucket of water hooked up to a BBQ propane tank that bubbles up the propane from the bottom of the bucket. Since propane is heavier than air, it just forms a layer in the bottom of the bucket, floating above the water. Everyone in the class took turns practicing PASS. A fire fighter just used a road flare attached to a pole to relight the flame between students. We did kick up quite a bit of dry chem powder.

I was a firefighter for 30 years and have been covered by many dry chem extinguishers with no problems. This should help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_extinguisher

I trained with one of these years ago..Then later got to use one for real...