What motion should you use when operating a fire extinguisher?

The recommended motion for operating a fire extinguisher involves sweeping it from side to side. This technique is effective because it allows the extinguishing agent to cover a wider area, ensuring that the flames are not only hit directly but also that the surrounding area is protected from reignition.

When using this method, it's important to start at the base of the fire and work your way up, ensuring that the flames are fully extinguished. This sweeping motion helps to disperse the agent evenly over the fire, increasing the likelihood of effective suppression.

The other approaches, such as lifting and throwing the extinguisher or simply pointing directly at the fire without an effective motion, do not provide the efficient coverage needed to fully extinguish a fire. Pointing directly may only target a small area, and lifting the extinguisher without utilizing its extinguishing properties would not have any impact on the fire. The goal is to control and extinguish the flames systematically, making the side-to-side sweep the most suitable technique.