Re: Marine Grade Fire Extinguisher
Just a few additional items (from a 23 year fireman)...
1)
"What do you mean "out of date"? Is the gage within the "green"?" This means nothing. Although the presumption is that it will work, it needs to be recertified annually! Don't blindly trust it because it's still showing in the green range. That only means that it's holding pressure.
2)
You can have them refilled. ask at your nearest FD. The vast majority of Fire Departments DO NOT refill or recertify entinguishers any longer. There may be some smaller volunteer departments that still dabble in this, but most won't take on the liability of recertifying an extinguisher. There are tons of outside companies that will do this. Check your local yellow pages.
3)
I would recommend anyone going out on the boat to at least shot one off in the driveway just to experience the short lived force that comes with squeezing the lever. Please don't do this. The majority of fire extinguishers for residential use are Dry Chemical Powder extinguishers. The powder that is expelled (and there is a lot of it) is messy and it is an irritant to the eyes and respiratory system. There may even be local laws about randomly discharging an extinguisher. Instead, get in contact with your local FD and have them set up a demonstration for you. They will bring out a fire pan and actually have you extinguish a fire. Just shooting one off into the air won't accomplish a thing, but it will pi$$ everyone else around you off. Getting with the FD will allow you to actually put out a fire and that way, you'll know exactly what to expect.
4) The Wal-Mart extinguisher and the BPS are the same (by type and weight). Wal-Mart gets better prices and doesn't have the mark up. make sure they are USCG approved.
Have fun! Stay safe!
