Funny Friday: When One Extinguisher Just Isn’t Enough

On a recent site visit, I stepped into a workshop and couldn’t help but laugh.

Lined up along the wall were fire extinguishers—every single type you could think of.
Water, foam, CO₂, dry powder… even a sign for a wet chemical one (though that was missing in action).

It was like the “all-you-can-eat buffet” of extinguishers.

Now, don’t get me wrong—having fire extinguishers is important. But having every type in one room doesn’t make you extra safe. In fact, it can do the opposite. The wrong extinguisher, used on the wrong fire, can make things worse. Powder in a confined workshop? Breathing hazard. Water on electrics? Shock risk.

So while the line-up gave me a chuckle, it also highlights a serious point:
👉 Extinguishers should be chosen for the risks you actually have, not as a collection set.
👉 Too much choice in an emergency can cause hesitation or mistakes.
👉 And signage should match reality—if the sign says wet chemical, there should be one there.

Sometimes less really is more.
Especially when it comes to fire safety.