OVER $4 BILLION ARE LOST ANNUALLY IN INDUSTRIAL FIRES. THIS LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY COULD BE REDUCED IF SECURITY PERSONNEL WERE TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS. BASIC FIRE BEHAVIOR IS DESCRIBED, SHOWING THAT FIRES NEED OXYGEN, FUEL, AND HEAT WHICH WOULD RAISE THE FUEL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. WHEN A FIRE STARTS, THERE IS USUALLY A LOW FLAME OR SMOLDERING. THIS STAGE CAN LAST ANYWHERE FROM 5 MINUTES TO SEVERAL HOURS OR DAYS. WHEN A FIRE HAS REACHED THE FREE BURNING PHASE, THE TEMPERATURE OFTEN REACHES OVER 1,000 DEGREES, AND IT WILL BURN UNTIL EITHER ALL THE FUEL OR ALL THE OXYGEN IS BURNED UP. IMPROPERLY STORED OR LARGE ACCUMULATIONS OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS, DAMAGED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT LEFT ON AFTER BUSINESS HOURS REPRESENT POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARDS AND SHOULD BE CHECKED ROUTINELY BY SECURITY GUARDS. PERIODIC INSPECTIONS SHOULD BE MADE OF EXITS, FIRE HOSES AND EXTINGUISHERS, AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. GUARDS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE LOCATIONS OF ALL TELEPHONES SO THEY CAN REPORT A FIRE TO THE AUTHORITIES. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND THE TYPES OF FIRES TO USE THEM ON ARE PROVIDED. BASIC FIRE-FIGHTING INSTRUCTIONS ARE INCLUDED. (BAC)