A disadvantage of fire extinguishers is that they are ______.

A disadvantage of fire extinguishers is that they are ______.

• A. one-shot devices
• B. reusable with maintenance
• C. long service life
• D. low cost

Answer: (A)

Think about how a portable extinguisher works after you use it. Once you discharge the agent, the cylinder is spent and cannot be reused until it’s recharged or replaced. That makes extinguishers effectively one-shot devices: you can’t count on using the same unit again immediately without paying for service. That limitation is the key drawback because it means you need maintenance, a recharging process, and possibly replacement before the extinguisher is ready for another incident. The other statements describe positive aspects: reusability with maintenance, long service life with proper care, and low upfront cost are all potential advantages, not drawbacks. So the one-shot nature best captures the disadvantage.

Think about how a portable extinguisher works after you use it. Once you discharge the agent, the cylinder is spent and cannot be reused until it’s recharged or replaced. That makes extinguishers effectively one-shot devices: you can’t count on using the same unit again immediately without paying for service. That limitation is the key drawback because it means you need maintenance, a recharging process, and possibly replacement before the extinguisher is ready for another incident.

The other statements describe positive aspects: reusability with maintenance, long service life with proper care, and low upfront cost are all potential advantages, not drawbacks. So the one-shot nature best captures the disadvantage.