Watch: Defense with a Fire Extinguisher

If he can't see you, he can't attack you.

I have just recently done a video suggesting that office workers can use improvised weapons such as fire extinguishers during an attack.

I've had people then ask me what exactly does the fire extinguisher do? They seem to be assuming you hit someone with the canister. Fair enough, that could be a way to defend yourself. Or they believe that the force of the extinguisher somehow affects the attacker. Other people seem to think that the gas coming out of the fire extinguisher is cold so that it is a deterrent to the attacker.

Actually, my intention for using a fire extinguisher for self-defense is as a standoff device. I want to inundate the attacker with the powder to cloud their vision and to possibly cause them difficulty in breathing.

So how does that work? Take a look at the video below. Granted this incident is not really a self-defense scenario but apparently a gas station attendant who was angry at a smoker.

You can see how much volume a commercial fire extinguisher puts out. The cloud of powder can be used as a way to distract an attacker so you and others can escape.

Now that you've seen how effective it can be, make sure you keep in mind where the nearest fire extinguishers are in your location.