Peppermint
New member
in their briefing to crew?
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Anybody here do fire drill
- Thread starter Peppermint
- Start date
StugeronSteve
New member
Ashamed to say that I don't. I always run through the location of extinguishers, fire blankets etc. and best escape routes, but never practised a drill. Come to think of it, I've done countless MOB drills but never deployed the stuff on the pushpit. Holiday cruise coming soon so perhaps it's time to have a go. Thanks for the idea.
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G
Guest
Guest
yes scarey stuff, I will ditto above, the boat will not sink, but hell I bet it would burn well!
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jhr
Well-known member
Don't suppose you read MBY, but TCM's column ("Here's Johnny") a couple of months ago dealt with just this subject, including reference to trying out extinguishers to see if they worked or not. Also sobering is this month's hand held extinguiser test in MBY - both because a number of the products tested didn't do what they were supposed to and also because the one that came out top was one of the cheapest. Have a sneaky peek next time you are in WH Smug.
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StugeronSteve
New member
Had an unexplained car fire last year in an almost new car and believe me once the plastic bits get going they are hard to put out.
The car decided to combust outside of a motor dealer's showroom and workshops and a large industrial extinguisher was quickly on the scene to suppliment my "hand gun", it had absolutely no effect. All that did work was a ton of foam from a fire engine.
Yes, make sure that the fire fighting kit is in date etc. and that people know how to use it, and how to isolate the gas and fuel, but above all, work out how you are going to get your crew off the boat and how you are going to summon help.
Fire is frightening and tends to render us like rabbits in headlights. This thread might just save lives this summer!
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The car decided to combust outside of a motor dealer's showroom and workshops and a large industrial extinguisher was quickly on the scene to suppliment my "hand gun", it had absolutely no effect. All that did work was a ton of foam from a fire engine.
Yes, make sure that the fire fighting kit is in date etc. and that people know how to use it, and how to isolate the gas and fuel, but above all, work out how you are going to get your crew off the boat and how you are going to summon help.
Fire is frightening and tends to render us like rabbits in headlights. This thread might just save lives this summer!
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Peppermint
New member
Re: We\'ve always included
Normal fire fighting and the steps to take in the event of fire when sailing, moored or in a marina. These can include dumping gas or outboard fuel overboard, getting ready to move the boat, going for help, warning other boats or just changing the boats attitude to the wind to facilitate fire fighting or escape.
I got the idea when sailing with a navy crew who rekond that for every 10 minutes they rehearsed abandonment or anything else they spent at least twice as long training to fight fire.
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Normal fire fighting and the steps to take in the event of fire when sailing, moored or in a marina. These can include dumping gas or outboard fuel overboard, getting ready to move the boat, going for help, warning other boats or just changing the boats attitude to the wind to facilitate fire fighting or escape.
I got the idea when sailing with a navy crew who rekond that for every 10 minutes they rehearsed abandonment or anything else they spent at least twice as long training to fight fire.
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TheBoatman
New member
Re: We\'ve always included
How many people out there have little plastic or even metal breather plates to allow the engine to work (get air) and how many of them can be closed. It's OK filling the engine space with CO2 but whats the use if you keep allowing air back in?
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How many people out there have little plastic or even metal breather plates to allow the engine to work (get air) and how many of them can be closed. It's OK filling the engine space with CO2 but whats the use if you keep allowing air back in?
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Badger
Member
Red sky at night...
Sailors delight...red sky in the morning..yacht on fire.
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Sailors delight...red sky in the morning..yacht on fire.
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MainlySteam
New member
Re: Anybody maintain fire extiguishers?
Everything says that you should maintain your fire extinguishers (dry powder) but nothing I've found says, and no one has yet been able to tell me what is to be done. Beyond looking at the pressure gauge thingy and giving them a shake, that is - and assuming they have not been used at all.
Does anyone know, and also how long does the charge remain viable even with the gauge reading ok and periodic shakes being given (good practice for the mixing of cocktails)?
John
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Everything says that you should maintain your fire extinguishers (dry powder) but nothing I've found says, and no one has yet been able to tell me what is to be done. Beyond looking at the pressure gauge thingy and giving them a shake, that is - and assuming they have not been used at all.
Does anyone know, and also how long does the charge remain viable even with the gauge reading ok and periodic shakes being given (good practice for the mixing of cocktails)?
John
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Sybarite
Well-known member
Re: Anybody maintain fire extiguishers?
Every year our marina office sends a letter to say that there will a collective servicing of fire extinquishers which they organize. It's not obligatory, just a facility offered.
John
PS I keep a fire blanket as well as extinquishers near the galley.
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Every year our marina office sends a letter to say that there will a collective servicing of fire extinquishers which they organize. It's not obligatory, just a facility offered.
John
PS I keep a fire blanket as well as extinquishers near the galley.
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MainlySteam
New member
Re: Anybody maintain fire extiguishers?
John
Do you know what the servicing people do to them? Apart from the obvious (low pressure, dents, etc which one can obviously do ones self if it is not mandatory to have someone else do it for you) no one has ever been able to tell me - that includes asking the people who collect them from buildings for servicing (talking about the 1-3 kg type size here, not the big ones).
John
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John
Do you know what the servicing people do to them? Apart from the obvious (low pressure, dents, etc which one can obviously do ones self if it is not mandatory to have someone else do it for you) no one has ever been able to tell me - that includes asking the people who collect them from buildings for servicing (talking about the 1-3 kg type size here, not the big ones).
John
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ccscott49
Active member
Dont actually do a drill, but show them where the extingiushers are and how to use them. I have my extingiushers insopected every two years and re-certified. A shake evry month (on my check list) does them fine. The extinguisher company I went to, checked them for pressure and inspected the outside, after a vigourous shaking in a machine, the halon ones were checked for weight and pressure. Two I had were condemned, due to age only, they were fine apart from that.
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MainlySteam
New member
Your comments on the inspections are interesting. The best I have been able to do to determine what the maintenance people might do is on here <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.uscg.mil/d1/units/msoport/SafetyAlerts.html>http://www.uscg.mil/d1/units/msoport/SafetyAlerts.html</A> and look down for "Fact Sheets" then "Fire Extinguisher Inspections". This seems to indicate that apart from inspections that anyone can do, and assuming you can weigh the extinguisher to see if has been discharged (or it has a pressure guage on it) the only extra thing the maintenance people do over what one should already be doing ones self is put a maintenace label on the extinguisher.
John
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John
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oldharry
Well-known member
I asked the Fire Safety officer at my work (we are required to do Fire safety training every 6 months) what he would recommend for my boat. His reply was quite interesting: 'a life jacket'.
We are taught that once flames reach a foot high, the fire is technically 'out of control' in the ordinary domestic siutuation, and Fire Brigade equipment is needed to deal with it. This in spite of the fact that we have plenty of extinguishers around the buildings. (Which paradoxically we are instructed not to use - saving of life, not property, is the priority in a fire situation).
The problem afloat is that in a fire situation we are on our own - there will not be 9 tons of fire engine manned by eager fire fighters racing to the rescue. So the minum for a small boat is - according to W Sussex Fire Brigade, at least one 4Kg powder extiguisher, and a Fire Blanket. Most of the domestic fire extinguishers sold are only 1 - 1.5 Kg, and are virtually useless on anything bigger than a waste bin fire, as they do not last long enough.
Fire Blankets give you a chance to damp down the flames, and stop them spreading. GRP resins being oil based ignite and burn only too easily, and the priority in a boat fire has to be to stop the GRP structure of the boat igniting. You only have a minute or two at most once flame appears (depending obviously on the source of the fire) and once the GRP has caught light, the only real hope is the Life Jacket. Wooden boats you may have a little longer, as they do not burn so readily as GRP
Or so I am reliably told.
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We are taught that once flames reach a foot high, the fire is technically 'out of control' in the ordinary domestic siutuation, and Fire Brigade equipment is needed to deal with it. This in spite of the fact that we have plenty of extinguishers around the buildings. (Which paradoxically we are instructed not to use - saving of life, not property, is the priority in a fire situation).
The problem afloat is that in a fire situation we are on our own - there will not be 9 tons of fire engine manned by eager fire fighters racing to the rescue. So the minum for a small boat is - according to W Sussex Fire Brigade, at least one 4Kg powder extiguisher, and a Fire Blanket. Most of the domestic fire extinguishers sold are only 1 - 1.5 Kg, and are virtually useless on anything bigger than a waste bin fire, as they do not last long enough.
Fire Blankets give you a chance to damp down the flames, and stop them spreading. GRP resins being oil based ignite and burn only too easily, and the priority in a boat fire has to be to stop the GRP structure of the boat igniting. You only have a minute or two at most once flame appears (depending obviously on the source of the fire) and once the GRP has caught light, the only real hope is the Life Jacket. Wooden boats you may have a little longer, as they do not burn so readily as GRP
Or so I am reliably told.
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Gordonmc
Active member
I was trained by Fleet Air Arm firefighters (shows how old I am) and what I carry with me is that the standard powder extinguishers seen on most boats will be of little use beyond a few minutes of the fire breaking out.
I have a powder unit next to the galley, together with a fire blanket. Next to the companionway I have an industrial sized CO2 extinguisher. Crew are told that in event of fire they should use the blanket if feasible, then get out and empty the CO2 into the cabin.
OK, you won't be able to go below decks until the CO2 disperses, but there's a better chance of killing the fire.
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I have a powder unit next to the galley, together with a fire blanket. Next to the companionway I have an industrial sized CO2 extinguisher. Crew are told that in event of fire they should use the blanket if feasible, then get out and empty the CO2 into the cabin.
OK, you won't be able to go below decks until the CO2 disperses, but there's a better chance of killing the fire.
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Sybarite
Well-known member
Re: Anybody maintain fire extiguishers?
Sorry but I would like to know.
John
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Sorry but I would like to know.
John
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Sybarite
Well-known member
Re: Anybody maintain fire extiguishers?
Sorry but I would like to know.
John
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Sorry but I would like to know.
John
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GeorgeP
New member
Ashamed to say
I only point out where the extinguishers are, and beg them to use the fire blanket first since the powder goes everywhere.
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I only point out where the extinguishers are, and beg them to use the fire blanket first since the powder goes everywhere.
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MainlySteam
New member
Re: Ashamed to say
I also keep in mind the deck washdown pump as well, with a hose stored handy - as long as someone free to fight with extinguishers while the deckwash hose is rigged. Being saltwater, not the best thing to spray around inside the boat but better than being burnt out.
More importantly is to avoid fire in the first place. In my recent past I was exposed to the safe management of 2,000 small commercial vessels (from open up to 150 foot or so). Firstly, completely waterjacketed engine ie no hot exhaust components, and secondly good electrical system.
John
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I also keep in mind the deck washdown pump as well, with a hose stored handy - as long as someone free to fight with extinguishers while the deckwash hose is rigged. Being saltwater, not the best thing to spray around inside the boat but better than being burnt out.
More importantly is to avoid fire in the first place. In my recent past I was exposed to the safe management of 2,000 small commercial vessels (from open up to 150 foot or so). Firstly, completely waterjacketed engine ie no hot exhaust components, and secondly good electrical system.
John
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Sybarite
Well-known member
Re: Ashamed to say
And thirdly, turn off the gas...
John
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And thirdly, turn off the gas...
John
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