When the alarm sounds, other hospital employees should close all windows and doors, including fire and smoke separation doors. Extinguish the fire. Small fires can be smothered with a blanket. Evacuate patients if directed to do so by the officials handling the fire emergency. The most important thing to remember about fire extinguishers is that you must use the correct type for the kind of fire.
Most extinguishers have labels that list the types of fires for which they can be used.
The most common extinguisher in hospitals is the multipurpose dry chemical type. It can be used for any class of fire. However, if the tag on the extinguisher is not labeled ABC, you must know the type of fire for which that particular extinguisher can be used. The following table shows the types of fires and the types of extinguishers that can be used for each. Carbon dioxide should be directed at the edge of the flames, then moved gradually forward and upward.