Deck General · Extinguishing Agents
A portable extinguisher rated '2-A:10-B:C' indicates that the extinguisher:
- AWeighs 2 lbs, has 10 ft range, and is approved for Class C
- BHas twice the A-rating and ten times the B-rating of a standard extinguisher
- CIs equivalent to 2.5 gallons of water on Class A, covers 10 square feet of Class B, and is safe on Class C
- DCarries a Class A rating of 2, a Class B rating of 10, and is rated safe for energized electrical equipment✓ Correct
Explanation
The NFPA extinguisher rating system uses numbers before the letter class to indicate relative firefighting effectiveness. The '2A' rating means the extinguisher is equivalent to approximately 2.5 gallons of water on Class A fires (each 'A' unit = approximately 1.25 gallons). The '10B' rating means it covers approximately 10 square feet of Class B burning liquid surface. The 'C' rating means the agent is non-conductive and safe for energized electrical equipment (no numerical effectiveness rating for C).
Authority: NFPA
Practice the full Deck General bank
Free spaced-repetition quizzing across 2190 USCG exam questions — it schedules your reviews so the ones you miss come back until they stick.
Related Deck General questions
- Extinguishing Agents
Which method of fire extinguishment does water primarily use when applied as a straight stream to a Class A fire?
- Extinguishing Agents
Why should a straight water stream NEVER be applied to a Class B (flammable liquid) fire?
- Extinguishing Agents
CO2 extinguishes fire primarily by which mechanism?
- Extinguishing Agents
Dry chemical extinguishing agents (ABC dry chem) are most effective against Class B fires because they:
- Extinguishing Agents
Which extinguishing agent is appropriate for a Class C (energized electrical) fire?
- Extinguishing Agents
Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) extinguishes Class B fires by: