By 
Fire is a tool that man discovered in prehistory. Throughout all that time, man has developed the use of fire and the way to control it. Even so, sometimes fires do break out, causing damage. Many people, animals and even plants have been lost in fire disasters. To prevent or minimize loss of life and property damage, fire fighting methods and tools have been invented and perfected.
Just as important as having firefighting tools on hand, knowing where these tools are is vital. Tools, after all, are worthless if they can’t be found and used when the need arises. Fire extinguishers, in particular, must be easily found. Fire extinguisher signs are used to mark the location of these effective fire fighting tools.
In most countries around the world, fire safety laws require at least one fire extinguisher in every office or home. These laws include rules that dictate the placement and identification of fire extinguishers. Signs must also possess certain properties, such as text size, legibility, pictographs used, etc. Modern signs also identify the type of extinguishers they mark and include a summary of the types of fires that can be handled by the specific fire extinguisher they mark. Some signs also “glow in the dark” so they are easy to spot in dark conditions.
To emphasize the point, perhaps a short story would be appropriate. We have John, an office worker. John is working at his desk and decides to have a cup of coffee in the break room. When he plugs in the coffee machine, the plug sparks and catches fire! Worse yet, a nearby dumpster filled with discarded tissue paper also catches fire. John remains calm, as he knows that panic is the worst enemy at times like this. He looks around for the fire controller. A sign at eye level marks the fire extinguisher in one corner of the room. Run to the fire extinguisher and check whether the fire extinguisher is suitable for electrical and ordinary combustible fires. Seeing that the fire extinguisher is marked as suitable for both of them, he pulls on the pin and points the nozzle at the base of the fire. He squeezes the handle and the extinguisher does its job. The fire goes out. There’s a big mess of extinguishing agent and burnt paper and the coffee machine has broken down, but at least the fire didn’t get any bigger. John receives praise from his colleagues and superiors for his decisiveness and quick action.
Now, what might have happened if the sign hadn’t been there to mark the location of the fire extinguishers? It would have taken John longer to find the fire extinguisher, and by the time he does, the fire may have gotten too big to deal with with a fire extinguisher. The office is evacuated while the integrated fire control system is activated. The fire is extinguished, but the entire office and everyone is wet. Office computers have also shortened due to exposure to water, and stacks of documents have become useless. Worse yet, if the fire spread too fast, the building could have caught fire.
So now you understand the importance of signs pointing out where firefighting tools are stored. Fire extinguisher signs are just as important as having the extinguishers themselves. Be sure to post signs correctly and know how to use fire extinguishers. Also, memorize the phone number of the local fire department. Lastly, follow fire safety rules and keep your workplace or home safe from fire. After all, prevention is better than cure!