By MATT MAURY

One evening, a number of years ago, our family was sitting down to enjoy dinner when we smelled smoke. It wasn¹t the good smoky smell from barbecue. It was that heavy smoky smell from burning cloth and paper.

Jumping up from our chairs, my wife phoned the fire department while I raced toward the source of the smoke in a storage room. The door was open and smoke was billowing out. I grabbed a pail, filled it with water, then ran in and threw it on the pile of paper and clothing that was aflame. The dousing stopped the growth of the fire and enabled the firemen, who arrived within minutes, to completely extinguish it.

Thankfully, damage was minimal, with a few studs and beams charred on their surfaces and a small number of personal items lost to the flames. The learning experience, however, was large.

First, we learned that an open light bulb (i.e., no fixture protecting the bulb) can start a fire when paper and cloth are accidentally pushed against it. It¹s actually something that we knew, but didn¹t think about in practical terms. Having seen, through the years, many exposed light bulbs, screwed into porcelain bases with a pull chain, in closets and storage areas of older homes, we tend to forget about how dangerous these installations can be. After the fire, we immediately covered all the exposed bulbs.

Second, we learned the importance of having a fire extinguisher in the home. Luckily, we had what fire experts call a ³Type A² fire. These are fires of combustible materials ‹ wood, clothing, paper, upholstery, etc. ‹ that can be extinguished with water. I was able to contain the fire until the fire fighters arrived.

If, on the other hand, it had been a ³Type B² fire ‹ flammable liquids, including grease fires in the kitchen ‹ or a ³Type C² fire ‹ electrical items, tossing water on it would have spread the fire. A household fire extinguisher is necessary to fight minor Type B and C blazes. Every home should have one.

A good extinguisher is not a luxury purchase. About $50 will buy a highly rated model at any home center or hardware store. The ratings are made by the Underwriters Laboratories to show the size of the fires (by Types A and B) that an extinguisher can control. A number is placed in front of each letter, with a larger number showing better capability. For instance, a designation of ³10-B² means that the extinguisher is capable of putting out a grease fire twice as large as a ³5-B²-rated extinguisher can handle. There are no number designations for Type C fires.

The larger sizes of extinguishers are UL-rated 3-A; 40-B; C and are about 1-1/2 feet tall, 5 inches in diameter and weigh less than 10 pounds. They also have the longest spray times ‹ about 24 seconds. While this may not seem like a lot of time, it should be enough to contain a minor household fire. It actually gives a few extra seconds just in case the unit¹s operator misdirects the spray.

Besides an extinguisher¹s rating, other considerations for the purchase should be the ability to check its pressure on a dial gauge, the capability of its being refilled and its ease of use. The ease of use is important because it will only be needed in a high-stress situation. Be sure to practice how to use the extinguisher with everyone living in the house. Check to make sure it¹s fully charged at least once a year. And, above all, keep it in a handy location within a few feet of where its most potential usage might be.

No matter how prepared to fight a fire a homeowner may be, the first step should always be to call the fire department before grabbing the extinguisher.