Fire extinguisher had been developed by DuPont and the US Army in 1954. Both 1211 and 1301 work by inhibiting the chain reaction of the fire, and in the case of Halon 1211, cooling class A fuels as well. Halon is still in use today but is falling out of favor for many uses due to its environmental impact. Europe and Australia have severely restricted its use, since the Montreal Protocol of 1987. Less severe restrictions have been implemented in the United States, the Middle East, and Asia. Internationally there are several accepted classification methods for hand-held fire extinguisher. Each classification is
Cutting extinguisher smoke diving is reduced. The small size of the access hole also reduces any risk of flashover or backdraft. Flashover is reduced by avoiding the need to open up a large access hole, backdraft by the flow of water through this small hole keeping any flow cooled and directed inwards, towards the fire. Secondary advantages are in gaining rapid access to the seat of the fire, directly through most construction materials and without needing to cause structural damage that may further weaken a structure. The cutting extinguisher technique originates in Sweden, with Cold Cut Systems Svenska AB. Cold Cut Systems