Fire Extinguisher

Hello! I am a fire extinguisher. You have probably seen me hanging quietly on a wall in your school or in a movie theater. I am usually painted bright red so you can spot me easily in an emergency. My job is one of the most important jobs in the world. I keep people safe by stopping small fires before they can grow into big, dangerous ones. Before I was invented, putting out fires was much harder. People had to use buckets of water, which wasn't always fast enough, especially if the fire was high up in a tall building. I was created to be a quick, powerful, and ready-to-go firefighter that anyone could use to protect their home and their family.

My story begins with a very clever and kind man named Captain George William Manby. One day, way back in 1813, he was in a city called Edinburgh when he saw a terrible fire. Flames were coming out of the top floors of a tall building, and he watched as the firefighters tried their best to help. But their hoses couldn't spray water high enough to reach the fire. Captain Manby felt so frustrated and sad for the people inside. He thought, “There must be a better way. There must be a way to fight a fire from the inside, right where it starts.”. At that moment, a brilliant idea sparked in his mind. He imagined a small, portable container that could shoot a special liquid right at the flames with a powerful whoosh, putting them out instantly.

Captain Manby went right to work on his amazing idea. He built my very first body not out of red metal, but out of a shiny copper container. It looked a bit like a fancy vase. Inside, he mixed a special liquid called potassium carbonate solution, which is great at stopping fire. Then, he added compressed air, which is like packing a lot of air into a small space. This gave me the power to spray the liquid with a mighty force. When it was time to test me, I let out a loud “psssshhhh” and a jet of fire-stopping mist shot out. It worked. On February 10th, 1819, Captain Manby officially shared his invention with the world, showing everyone a new and faster way to be a hero during a fire.

Today, I might look a little different, but my job is still exactly the same. I hang on walls in kitchens, hallways, and theaters, always on alert and ready to help. I am a reminder that even a simple idea, like Captain Manby's, can make a huge difference in the world. A small hero on the wall can do a very big job, and I am always proud to be here to keep you safe.