FIRE Flashcards
Types of Fire and Extinguishers
Advantage and Disadvantages of each F. E
Causes of fire
Common causes of fires on board include, but are not limited to:
Smokingthe most common cause of shipboard fires. Many fail to appreciate the
heat from a cigarette end, and un-extinguished ash is sufficient to ignite many
materials, including bedding, clothing, paper, wood and plastics. The importance of
observing smoking restrictions and completely extinguishing and correctly disposing
of smoking materials is paramount.
Hot work— produces very high temperatures and sparks. Every vessel should have
in operation an acceptable hot work permit system that is correctly monitored and
adhered to.
Galley activities- The galley area includes fuel lines, grease, hot fat, open flames,
hot plates, electric fans, deep fat fryers and frequent concentrated activity.
Machinery spaces - which may contain any or all of the following: electrical circuits,
generators and motors, oils and fuels heated and under pressure, pipe lagging, high
speed rotating machinery, oily waste, accumulations of oil in the bilges, etc.
*Electrical faults- old or poorly maintained equipment, frayed cables, overloaded
circuits, non-intrinsically safe and non-explosion proof equipment in hazardous
atmospheres, old and degraded gas-tight seals, faulty electric motors, spares and
replacement parts not suited to a marine environment, charging of batteries in a
poorly ventilated compartment.
*Fuel oil systems and bunker operations - Fuel oils are carried in large quantities.
Their reception onboard requires transfer from shoreside fuel tanks via hoses,
booms and couplings. Onboard fuel may be purified, pre-heated and piped under
pressure prior to being burnt in the engine or boilers.
Chemical reactions or spills - in cargo or ship’s stores. Precautions with respect to
handling, stowing, segregating and transporting hazardous substances must be in
accord with the relevant regulation and Codes of Practice. This applies to both
cargoes and stores of chemicals used on board.
Repair and refit operations- This may include hot work, the shutdown of the fire
detection and extinguishing systems, alternative or reduced power for ventilation
and lighting, trailing cables, and the presence of large numbers of yard workers and
contractors who may not be aware of nor comply with normal onboard safe working
practices.
Starting procedure for BA Set
Starting Procedure
-Apparatus leak test
- Switch off the demand valve.
- Open the cylinder valve slowly, close it and observe the gauge. It should not fall
more than 10 bar per minute.
- Don the apparatus
- Check all straps are in good condition; adjust the stars, so the back plate fits snugly.
- With the demand valve off, turn on the cylinder slowly.
- Check for positive pressure
- Put the mask on.
- Spread head harness and place over the head.
- Place chin in facemask chin cup, tighten lower straps first, then upper straps (holding
breath). Tighten the centre strap if necessary.
- The first breath will switch LDV to positive pressure mode, breathe normally.
-Lift mask seal off the face with two fingers, and air pressure should flow out of the mask.
- Allow mask to reseal. Hold breath and check there is no leakage from the exhaling valve.
- Check face mask for leakage and test the whistle
-Close cylinder valve and breathe gently to exhaust air from the system.
- Observe gauge; the whistle will alarm at between 60 bar to 50 bar.
-Continue breathing down the system. Once empty, hold breath for approximately 3-
5 seconds – the facemask should collapse and hold to face indicating a positive seal.
- Check the actual pressure gauge
-Turn the cylinder on fully and then check the reading on the pressure gauge.
-Proceed to fire location
-Adjust your flash hood over the edges of the mask so that there is no skin showing
and all the straps are tucked into place. Fit your helmet and put on your gloves.
-Check-in at entry control, confirm name and this together with your pressure and
time of entry will be noted on your tally and left with E.C.O.
-Carry out the teams brief.
SCENARIO- ENGINE ROOM FIRE
F I R E
Find
Information
Restrict
Extinguish
Raise the alarm.
Inform the bridge at the earliest opportunity.
Close down all ventilation.
Muster the crew.
Investigate and tackle the fire immediately, if practicable.
Continue to fight the fire until the emergency party arrives at the scene.
Watertight and fire doors should be closed as soon as possible for the safety of the vessel.
Engine room personnel should be well aware of emergency and tunnel escape systems.
Consider closing fuel cut-offs.
Rescue injured persons as soon as practicable.
Establish supply of equipment - foam compound, etc.
Attempt to contain the fire and extinguish by conventional means before use of fixed
smothering apparatus.
Conventional means of fighting the fire should be continued until supplies of foam
compound are consumed, or the available breathing air bottle supply runs out. Then, as a
last resort, Co2 should be used.
Rescue of casualties should be a matter of priority.
First aid parties should be ready to treat any injury, especially burns. Regular drills will
ensure that personnel when attached to an emergency or stretcher party know how to
recognise burns and apply burn dressings.
Boundary cooling
SCENARIO - GALLEY FIRE
F I R E
FIND
INFORM
RESTRICT
EXTINGUISH
A ship’s galley will normally be equipped with the following extinguishing agents:
Dry powder extinguishers for electric stoves (Figure 7.2)
CO2 extinguishers
Fire blanket
Fixed Co2 drenching system
High fog
Speedy and correct use of the above could reduce the risk of a major fire. Lack of thought in
tackling the common chip pan fire could result in the whole of the galley area becoming
engulfed in flames.
A clean galley area will reduce the risk of fire. Regular drills and the training of crews,
especially catering personnel, incorrect fire-fighting procedures will reduce the risk still
further.
SCENARIO - LAUNDRY
F I R E
FIND
INFORM
RESTRICT
EXTINGUISH
This is highly likely to be an electrical fire!!
General Notes:
Find the fire - Most yachts have a large supply of portable extinguishers to tackle any small
fire immediately and, if not able to extinguish the fire, at least contain it.
Inform crew - You should raise the alarm, no matter what the size of the fire. This will allow
back-up teams to equip themselves with more effective fire-fighting gear while the portable
extinguishers are attempting containment of the fire. After raising the alarm, assess the
type of fire and obtain the nearest extinguisher considered correct for tackling that type of
fire. Approach the seat of the fire close to the deck, allowing for the fact that heat rises.
Restrict - Closing down all mechanical ventilation will help to stop the passage of heat and
smoke throughout the ship. Watertight and fire doors must be closed for any emergency
when the hull is threatened. Not only is the passage of heat and smoke restricted, but
subsequent casualties caused by the passage of fire or explosion can be greatly reduced -
close all doors.
Isolation of ‘live circuits’ is necessary because the dangers of water as an electrical
conductor are well known, particularly when a strong jet of water is being brought into
operation. Isolation of live circuits must be carried out before the fire is attacked with any
water branch line, whether operating on jet or spray.
Surrounding the fire and attacking it, rather than operating from one side only, stops the
fire from being pushed from one region to another. It should not be forgotten that any fire
has no less than six sides, and all six sides should be attacked whenever possible. This may
only be in the form of boundary cooling of bulkheads, but the heat content and its effect are
reduced.
Fuel cut-offs must be initiated, especially if engine room fire. Firefighters need to operate in teams of not less than two.
Reduction of speed is necessary because the speed of the vessel through the water will
provide continuous draught for the fire. This will provide food for the fire, not the required starvation.
Extinguish
The engine room of any vessel must be considered an extremely high-risk area. When an
assessment of an outbreak of fire within the machinery space is made, a minor oil spillage
will probably be a localised outbreak capable of being tackled by portable equipment,
whereas a larger fuel leak, say from a broken generator, may cause an extensive fire that
can only be extinguished by the use of a fixed system such as CO or foam.
SCENARIO- PAINT STORE
F I R E
FIND
INFORM
RESTRICT
EXTINGUISH
The problems concerning fires in paint rooms and other similar stores are usually related to
one or more of the following:
The location of the store, often towards the bow.
The size of the store, which is often quite small, limiting access.
The high risk of explosion.
The possibility of excessive heat build-up.
Risk of overpowering toxic fumes from the contents of the store.
Many fires in stores of this nature are caused by a combination of human error and
spontaneous combustion. It is always so easy after a day’s painting to clean off with a rag of
MEK with spontaneous combustion action taking place several hours later may cause a
minor flame that grows very quickly into a major fire.
Tackling the fire will be hampered by the plentiful supply of oxygen in the area, especially if
the store is sited well forward. A fast heat build-up in a confined space can be expected,
limiting the ability of firefighters to reach the seat of the fire. Breathing apparatus will be
required to get in close, and the danger of chemical reaction with water as an extinguishing
agent will be ever-present. Boundary cooling of other bulkheads, deckheads and decks must
be of prime consideration and the use of a fixed system.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a fixed CO2 system
This is probably the most popular of all the fixed fire-fighting systems employed at sea. The
normal design incorporates a fixed bank of CO2 container bottles whose contents can be
directed, automatically or by direct manual operation, into any of the ship’s protected
spaces.
Crew should be aware that CO2 is a smothering agent rather than an actual extinguishing
one. The purpose of the gas is to deprive the fire of oxygen and, by so doing, break the fire
triangle.
ADVANTAGES:
Density is 1.5 times higher than air. So it can easily displace it.
It can be easily liquified and bottled
Extinguishes by smothering
Non corrosive
No residues left after application
No deterioration with age
DISADVANTAGES
Causes unconsciousness in minutes
Very little cooling effect, so danger of reigniting
When discharged, the CO2 particles cause static electricity with a danger of spark
Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Large Ships) Regulations 1998
MSN 1665 - Fire Fighting Equipment
MSN 1666 - Fixed Fire Detection Alarm and Extinguishing Systems
