Fire Extinguisher Service in Barstow

Every extinguisher on the property, in one visit

Forty of our Barstow calls since 2015 were about fire extinguishers. No other service comes close.

The questions repeat. Is the tag about to run out? Can an old cylinder be recharged, or does it need replacing? And can someone get out here before the inspection date?

On a service visit the technician checks each unit, does the work that's due, recharges any extinguisher that has been used or has lost pressure, and puts a tag on each one showing the date and the firm that did the work. Units that won't pass get flagged. You hear why.

Records missing? Start with the tags. If the last owner or manager left nothing on file, the tags on the cylinders still show when each unit was last serviced, and we work out what's due from there.

Fire extinguisher installation in Barstow

Some buildings have no extinguishers. Some have the wrong kind.

One Barstow caller had a violation notice from the fire department asking for code-compliant extinguishers. Another needed 2A:10B:C rated, 5 lb ABC units in surface-mount cabinets, one upstairs and one downstairs. Both are installation jobs.

We pick the unit to fit the hazard. ABC dry chemical covers ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and energized electrical equipment, which suits most offices, shops and warehouses. Kitchens with a hood suppression system also need a Class K unit for cooking oils and fats (see our Barstow kitchen fire protection service). Combustible metals call for Class D.

Placement and mounting follow California Fire Code Section 906. A couple of callers have asked about cabinets that discourage tampering and theft, or about replacing the plexiglass fronts on cabinets they already have. Ask, and we'll quote cabinets with the units.

The service calendar each unit follows

Each extinguisher has its own schedule under NFPA 10 and California Title 19:

• Monthly: the owner does a quick visual check (gauge in the green, pin and seal in place, nothing blocking the unit).
• Every year: a licensed technician does the maintenance and records it on the tag. See annual fire extinguisher certification in Barstow.
• Every 6 years: stored-pressure dry chemical units get internal maintenance (a teardown).
• Every 12 years: dry chemical units get a hydrostatic test. CO2, water and wet chemical (Class K) units are tested every 5 years. See hydrostatic testing in Barstow.

After a discharge, recharge the unit before it goes back on the wall. Our Barstow fire extinguisher refill page covers that work.

Who may do the work, and who to ask about code

In California, a firm and technician licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Title 19 must service extinguishers. Our California work is performed by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 and C-10 contractor licenses and is State Fire Marshal licensed for portable extinguisher service.

The Barstow Fire Protection District provides fire and emergency response in the city. It's a subsidiary district of the City of Barstow. The district's fire code page lists a combined building official and fire marshal at 760-255-5169, and that office is the one to ask about which code edition applies to your building.

To book: tell us how many extinguishers you have, roughly how old they are, and any deadline you're facing (a fire inspection, an insurance date). Call (909) 219-9411 or email socal@1profire.com. Barstow sits in San Bernardino County fire extinguisher service territory; we also cover Riverside County and Los Angeles County. More services are on our Barstow fire protection page.