You pop leftovers into the microwave. You’ve just finished work or school, you’re hungry and you don’t mind that the container might melt a little.

But the metal handle ignites, and now you’ve got a small fire in your kitchen. Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher?

The Bowling Green Fire Department is launching a new series of free fire safety trainings centered on the proper use of a fire extinguisher.

Using an extinguisher might seem self-explanatory, but “until you do it, it’s very intimidating,” said Marlee Boenig, the BGFD public information officer and safety educator.

Of course, with the sight of of any fire, you should first and foremost call a local fire department or instruct someone to do so – and plan an exit strategy in case a small, contained fire starts to spread.

But BGFD regularly responds to fires that could have been quashed with a fire extinguisher in the initial stage. In fact, that’s true for all fires.

“Every fire starts out small,” Boenig said. “If they have a fire extinguisher, they could stop the fire quickly enough where it couldn’t do significant damage.”

To ensure that community members have the muscle memory, the fire department will hold three or four fire extinguisher trainings this year. The first will be from 9 to 10 a.m. April 18 at the BGFD station at 250 Porter Pike.

During the one-hour session, firefighters will discuss components of a fire extinguisher, types of extinguishers and types of fires – since certain extinguishers and certain fires aren’t necessarily compatible.

Firefighters will also update folks on current extinguisher standards. (Hint: If you’ve had the same extinguisher for several decades, it’s not up to code.)

Trainees will also practice using a fire extinguisher without facing the threat of an actual fire.

“This is a way for them to get comfortable using it,” Boenig said.

BGFD previously offered individual fire trainings with businesses, but this is the first time the department is offering classes at the station.

Each training will be open to adults and to children ages 14 to 17 who are accompanied by an adult. Boenig wanted the trainings to include children because sometimes they’re home alone after school or they babysit, and accidental kitchen fires are common. Since the first class interferes with the public school schedule, the fire department will try to set up Saturday classes in the future.

The first training is limited to 30 people. But if a ton of people sign up, BGFD will either expand the class size or schedule another training as soon as possible, Boenig said.

To register, visit bgky.org/fire by Thursday.