Sail Through the Louisiana Boater Safety Challenge 2025 – Navigate Your Way to Success!

The procedure to extinguish a fire using a fire extinguisher is best represented by pulling the pin, aiming at the base of the fire, squeezing the handle, and sweeping side to side. Aiming at the base of the fire is crucial because this is where the fuel source is located, and applying the extinguishing agent there can effectively disrupt the fire's combustion process. Sweeping side to side allows for an even distribution of the extinguishing agent across the fire, increasing the chances of extinguishing it completely.

In contrast, some other methods suggest aiming at the top of the fire or the flames rather than the base, which would be ineffective as it wouldn't directly target the fuel that is sustaining the fire. Additionally, methods that involve pushing buttons or shaking the canister stray from the standard procedure recommended for most portable fire extinguishers. This could lead to misapplication of the extinguisher and potentially put the user at risk or fail to extinguish the fire properly.