We should all have at least one fire extinguisher somewhere in our home, but it’s not enough to simply keep one under the kitchen sink. If there is a fire, your safety — and the safety of your home — depends on knowing how to use that fire extinguisher correctly. In case your fire extinguisher has been sitting around collecting dust, here’s everything you need to know before brushing it off and fighting a fire in your home the right way.

Choose the right fire extinguisher

The first thing you need to know is the different classifications of fires. Most household fires fall into one of the following categories:

Class A: Fires fueled by solid combustibles like wood, paper, and cloth.

Class B: Fires fueled by flammable liquids such as oil and gasoline.

Class C: Fires started or fueled by faulty wiring and appliances.

Class D: Fires started or fueled by cooking oils, animal facts, and vegetable fats.

All fire extinguishers are labeled to indicate which classes of fire they are designed to combat. Most household fire extinguishers are considered multipurpose and labeled for use in A, B, and C classes. Class K extinguishers are heavier duty and will need to be bought separately. Household fire extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire that they can safely handle. The higher the rating, the larger the fire the extinguisher can put out. Higher-rated extinguishers are often heavier.

Steps for proper extinguisher use

Once you understand the different types of fire extinguishers and their uses, you need to be able to properly operate one.

Before operating the fire extinguisher, make sure you have a clear evacuation path. If you cannot put out the fire, you’ll need to make a safe exit. Also, make sure everyone else is being evacuated from the building.

Even if the fire appears manageable, you should always have the fire department on the way. Once firefighters arrive, they can double-check whether the fire has been completely extinguished.

Face the fire and keep your back to the clear exit. You should stay between 1.8 and 2.5 meters away from the flames as you prepare to operate the fire extinguisher.

It can be difficult to think clearly during an emergency. Thankfully, there is a long-standing acronym(首字母缩略词)— PASS — to help you recall the steps involved in operating your fire extinguisher.

P: Pull the pin (保险销) on the fire extinguisher.

A: Aim low. Point the nozzle at the base of the fire instead of the flames.

S: Squeeze the handle or lever to discharge the extinguisher.

S: Sweep the nozzle back and forth until the flames are extinguished.

After the flames appear to be out, continue to watch the fire area to make sure it doesn’t reignite. If the fire does start up again, repeat the “PASS” process.

Once the fire is out, or if you are unable to put it out, leave the scene. Find a place out of reach of the fire.

This photograph taken and released on Sep 28, 2018 by Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management shows a house destroyed by a 7.5 magnitude (级) earthquake in the small town Donggala on Sulawesi Island. The quake brought down many buildings while tsunami waves hit into its beachfront. “All the things in my house were shaking and it left a small crack on my wall. Anyway, I survived!” one of the local people Mohammad Fikri said by telephone.

But the biggest killer was probably soil liquefaction (地基液化), which happens when a powerful quake turns the dry ground into a liquid mire (泥沼) and this totally destroyed several neighborhoods.

The official death reports rose to 1,948, and most of them were in Palu, the center of the Sulawesi Island. Bodies are still being dug out and the numbers from less populated areas are increasing but they seem to have suffered fewer deaths than the city. No one knows how many people are missing, especially in the areas hit by liquefaction, but it could be as high as 5,000, the National Disaster Agency said.

At a Palu middle school, fewer than 50 of its 697 students came. School principal Abdul Rashid said at least four students were killed in the quake. “Classes haven’t started. We’re only collecting data to find out how many students are safe,” he said. One boy chatting in the school with friends said he was disappointed that so few of his classmates had shown up. “I’m still waiting for the Ministry of Education to give us instructions on when to begin classes. For now, I don’t think we’re ready. Many children are so frightened that they need time to calm down.”

The government has collected $37 million to help victims of the earthquake. With the efforts of rescue workers and volunteers, the supply of gas and electricity has been recovered. Ruins would be cleared and areas hit by liquefaction would be turned into parks, gymnasiums and other public spaces, a spokesman said.

A very dangerous situation happened in California last week. More than 12 wildfires broke out in the state. Most of them began on October 8, in Northern California. They grew rapidly. The fires were made bigger by winds of up to 50 miles per hour and dry air in the area.

At least 20 people have been killed, the state government said. About 200 have been injured. At least 3,500 homes and businesses have been destroyed. About 50,000 people have been required to escape. Many left in a hurry, without time to take their personal things. “All the good stuff(东西)—I’m never going to see it again,” Jeff Okrepkie said. He escaped from his Santa Rosa home. It was destroyed soon after he left.

The fires burned through parts of eight counties(郡，县). These include Sonoma and Napa. The areas are important to California’s economy(经济). They are home to many of the state’s vineyards(葡萄园) and wineries(酿酒厂). In 2016, California’s wineries made more than $57 billion.

October is when wildfires usually produce the most ruins in California. But it is unusual for so many fires to start at once. Up to now, the government has not given a cause for any of the fires, many of which were still burning.