"A little fire is quickly trodden out, which rivers cannot quench when suffered." - Shakespeare.

When we examine the foregoing chapter, we find that a domestic fire extinguisher is a basic need. A design so contemplated shall fulfil those needs and, at the same time, allow itself to be easily manufactured on a mass scale and also be available at moderate prices. The percentage of accidents caused by fires in the home, as well as the resulting burns and fatalities, is much higher than the percentage caused by public fires. In the case of a public fire, there is a great loss to the property as a result of a sweeping open fire, whereas in the case of fires in homes, the great loss is more to the lives than to the property. In view of the serious loss of life and disability resulting from home accidents, there exists a pressing demand for the design of equipment to lend a helping hand in putting off the fire. The main reasons for the deaths that occur in our homes each year are the poor design or bad planning of the houses in which we live, the faulty design of the equipment we use or the careless way in which we use it, and the human element, which falls under two headings: mental and physical.