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 VIDf01H: FIRE FIGHrlNG Ar SEA

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 VIDEOTfL: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

INrRODucr.o
Fire is one of the greatest hazards at sea. It threatens the safety of the vessel and the lives

of everyone aboard.

Even a very small fire can quickly turn into a major disaster so it is vital that everyone on

board is aware of the risks and plays their part in fire prevention.

The five programmes in the Videotel Fire Fighting series are designed to help achieve this.

They are:

Programme 1. Fire Prevention;

Programme 2: Basic Fire Fighting;

Programme 3: Command and Control at the Incident;

Programme 4. Command and Control by the Master;

Programme 5. Machinery Space Fires.

This booklet contains notes to accompany each of them.

Section - The Essential Basics - explains the basic principles behind fire - how it is caused

and sustained. It is essential reading for everyone.

Section Title Who is it for? Page

The Essential Basics Everyone 2

2 Fire Prevention Students of Programme 1: Fire Prevention 13

3 Basic Fire Fighting Students of Programme 2: Basic Fire Fighting 19

4 Command and Control Students of Programme 3:

at the Incident Command & Control at the Incident 37

5 Command and Control Students of Programme 4:

by the Master Command & Control by the Master 46

6 Machinery Space Fires Students of Programme 5: Machinery Space Fires 52

7 Trainer's Notes Trainer 58

Ideas for use

8 Summary of Programmes Trainers 61

9 Glossary of Terms Everyone 66

10 Assessment Questions and Answers 68

 VIDEOTEL: flltE fIGHTING AT SEA

SECTION J: rHE ISSENT1 BASICS

In this section you will learn about:
The fire triangle - the three elements needed to produce and sustain a fire.

How heat travels .

How different types of fuel are classified, and how they burn.

You will also gain a greater awareness of the hazards on board your vessel.

The key to preventing, fighting and controlling fires is to understand what they are and
how they work.

................................................................... .........

What is Fire?

Fire is a chemical reaction between a flammable material and air which results in the
production of heat and light.

A fire cannot occur unless three elements are present. To make them easy to remember,
they are often shown as the Fire Triangle.

The three elements needed to produce a fire are:

A Source of ignition - HEAT.

Something that will burn - FUEL.
Support for combustion - AIR.

A fire can on ly sustain itself if all three .

components are present. Remove one, and
you extingu ish the fire. This is the simpl e basic
principle of fire prevention.

Once a fire has started, however, things get a

bit more com plicated. The process of
combustion creates a f o urth side to the
"triang le" - the ch emica l process involved in
burn ing. We will return t o th is in Section 3:
Basic Fire Fighting.

For now, it is enough t o focus on the three sides of the fire t ri angle. There are usually pl enty
of all three eleme nts around, so fire is always a risk. However, it is not always obvious which
of the th ings aro und us in our everyday lives are sources of each of these elements .

.. ................ .......... .. .......... ...................... ....... ..... ......

.The First Side of the Fire Triangle: HEAT

It is tempting t o thin k of a naked f lame as the most common source of ignition - t hings such
as sparks from oxyacetyl ene weld ing, a cigarette, fu nne l sparks or droppi ng a steel spanner
on a metal su rface.

2
 VIDEOTEI.: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

But many things can create the heat necessary to create a fire - hot surfaces, friction,
electrical energy, chemical reactions and compressed gases.

Heat always travels from hotter areas to cooler ones, and will always do so, no matter how
small the temperature difference may be.

It does so in one of three ways:

Conduction: Direct heat transfer through a material. Solids, liquids and gases
can all conduct heat. Some materials, such as steel, can conduct
heat better than others such as wood .

Convection: Heated liquids or gases rise, "carrying" the heat from one area
to another.

Radiation: Heat energy transferred by radiating through a space, as in a grill.

Here are some familiar examples of each:

C. Radi atio n

Conduction
Con duction is t he tra nsfer of heat by con tact. Thi nk of th e w ayan iron carries heat t o a shirt
or trousers, or th e w ay th e element or hob of a cooker conducts heat to th e pan sitting on
it. This is a good remind er t o us that a na ked fl ame is not necessary to start a f ire, as you
would quickly f ind if you left your iron sitt ing on your shirt t oo long.

3
 VlOEOTfL.: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Ignition from heat conduction is a risk even when there are more visible risks around. When Tr
arc welding, for example, we must take care not only of the flame and the sparks, but of Sp
the way the metal we are welding conducts heat to other areas.
It
Convection an
Many room heaters rely on the principle of convection. The warmed air rises and circulates
around the room. I\lever leave towels or clothing on a convector heater to dry. They stop
convection from taking place and the clothing will heat up and may start a fire.

A cooker ventilation hood removes convected heat from above an oven or stove, but grease
and dust trapped inside the hood can be ignited by the rising hot air.

Radiation Te<
bu
Radiant heat can travel through air or even through a vacuum. For example, the heat of the
un
sun's rays reach the earth through radiation. Although this may not seem particularly
we
dangerous, we all know that the sun's rays, when focused through a lens such as a
magnifying glass, can start a fire. A cracked porthole glass can produce the same effect.

Other everyday examples of radiation include grills used for making toast. Although there
is no direct contact between the heat source and the toast, the toast can ignite if exposed
too long.

Even objects that are not hot enough to glow can be hot enough to set fire to flammable
materials .

II " tI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Second Side of the Fire Triangle: FUEL

The second of the three elements a fire requires is fuel.

In order to know how to prevent or tackle a fire, we need to understand the different types
of fuel. Materials capable of burning - called "flammable substances" fall into four
categories, sometimes classified as:
Not
whc
- A. Solids (usually organic, and often known as "carbonaceous ").
tem
thar
- B. Liquids.

- C. Gases.

- D. Metals.

Carbonaceous substances such as wood, paper, most bedding, curtains, and packing cases
are found in many parts of a ship.

It is
Examples of flammable liquids include petroleum spirits, paints and oils, paint thinners and
tech
kerosene - any liquid which gives off a flammable vapour, including solids that melt to form
tech
a liquid, such as fats and waxes.

 VIDEO TEL; FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

The most commonly found flammable gases aboard ships are acetylene and propane .
Specialised tankers may also carry liquefied gases at low temperature, such as LPG or LNG.

It is easy to forget that some metals such as magnesium and aluminium can easily be ignited
and will burn vigorously. Even iron and steel may burn if heated to 1150C.

Note that electrically caused fires do not constitute a class by themselves.

Electricity is a heat source and not a fuel. Nevertheless, they do require special
treatment and isolation.

Technically, solid and liquid materials do not burn - it is the vapour they give off which
burns. Even materials such as wood which we commonly use for fuel do not burn as solids
unless only smouldering. That is why wood shavings burn more readily than a block of
wood; the shavings have a greater surface area for the wood and give off more vapour.

Some useful terms

The temperature at which a material produces enough flammable vapour for it

to flash if exposed to an ignition source is called its flashpoint.

The temperature at which it will continue to burn when ignited is call ed its
ignition temperature. This is usually only a few degrees higher than the
flash point.

At a still higher temperature, a material will spontaneously combust. This is called

its self-ignition temperature.

The auto-ignition temperature is the temperature at which a material

undergoes a chemical change which results in combustion.

Note that the comparative self-ignition temperatures of different materials are not always
what we might think. The self-ignition temperature of petrol is 480C; the self-ignition
temperature of paper just 420C. Under some conditions paper may be more hazardous
than petrol.

It is important to understand the different categories of fue l, because firefightin g

techniques differ according to the type of fuel. You ca n f ind out more about these
techniques in the Basic Fire Fighting section of this book.

5
 VlDEOTEl: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

The Third Side of the Fire Triangle: AIR

The third component of a fire is air, or more accurately, oxygen . Without this ingredient, a
fire will extinguish itself.

Note: Some fuels can generate their own heat if they oxidise.
Keeping fuel away from heat sources does not guarantee that you will prevent
a fire.

A fuel will ignite if through oxidising it raises its temperature to the point at
which it spontaneously ignites .

........ .. ..... ... ......... ... .. ... ... ... ... ..................... ..... ..... .....

Don't Make a Fire Triangle!

Un derstan ding the three sides of the fire

triangle, and be ing able to recognise them
in everyday situations is t he key to fire
prevention.

Th ere are many exa mpl es of two eleme nts

existi ng togeth er. Fo r exa mple, heat and
air are both present where there is a hot
su rfa ce su ch as an exhaust ma nif ol d, an
electric light b ulb, a hot pl ate in t he g alley,
or a cabin heater. So th e th ird eleme nt
fuel - must never be introduced.

6
 VIDEOTEL: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

The Properties of Fuels

Solid Fuels

The growth of a fire in a solid always follows the same natural pattern. This is true for a
cigarette dropped in a wastepaper basket, a newspaper left on a hotplate, or any other
incident.

(~
CMOULDER~~
O( OVER
HEATING

~d)J r)
( )
hours or minutes
THE GROWTH AND DEVElOPMENT OF A FIRE

Here is an example:

If heated, newspaper or cotton first dries out

Then starts to ov e rheat .

Once its temperature rises above around 240 0 ( the fuel oxid ises, raising the temperature
above its self- ignit ion temperat ure (SIT).

Prolonged exposure to temperatures lower than the SIT can stili be hazardous as materials
can undergo a chemical change, decomposing into a pyrophoric carbon which can ignite
spontaneously at relatively low temperatures. This is what happens to a rag used to shield a
light bulb or a piece of cardboard behind a steampipe. For months it will remain
discoloured, but one day may begin to smoulder, then burst into flames ..

Liquid Fuels

The basic indication of how hazardous a liquid is, is its flashpoint, the lowest temperature
at which it gives off enough vapour for it to "flash" if a spark or a flame is introduced. A
liquid which gives off flammable vapours at room temperature or just above has a low
flash point, and is much more hazardous than one which will not flash unless its temperature
is much higher.

Flashpoints are used to define whether a liquid is flammable or non-flammable.

7
 VlDEOTEL; FIRE FIGHflNG Ar SEA

Cargo Hazards

In the tanker trades, liquids are classified as either:

- flammable (flashpoint below 60C) or
- non-flammable (60C and above).

On dry-cargo ships, there is a different classification system:

- Liquids with a flashpoint lower than 61C are classified as either low,
intermediate or high flashpoint.
- Liquids with a flashpoint higher than 61C are not classed as dangerous for
transport.
- The degree of hazard is indicated by the packaging group.

Details of these and other factors affecting cargoes are to be found in the
International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals and the International
Maritime Dangerous Goods Code respectively.

Remember: liquids do not burn; it is the vapour they give off which burns.

I The lower the flash point of the liquid. the greater the hazard.

Here is a real-life example: A fire which burnt out all the accommodation
on a vessel started when warmed varnish was being decanted into paint
pots; the vapour was probably ignited by a spark from static electricity.

Even a few drops of liquid can give off a large amount of vapour. This makes them
hazardous in two ways . First, the vapours may disperse, find a source of ignition somewhere
else and bring the flame back to the source of the leak.

Second, gases in an enclosed space mixed with air may form an "explosive mixture". If they
are ignited the rapid combustion can produce hot expanding gases. These may in turn
produce. a pressure within the space greater than the bulkheads can contain, resulting in an
explosion.

Different liquids produce vapours of different densities .

If a liquid has a vapour density higher than 1, it means that its vapour is heavier than air,
so it will flow along a deck and over the sides of a ship, or down staircases .

If the vapour density is less than 1, the vapours tend to disperse upwards.

I

Remember. most flammable hydrocarbon vapours are heavier than air.
Methane is one exception.

You may also see labels telling you the range of flammability of a liquid. This describes
the proportions of air and vapour that make its vapours flammable.

8
 VIDEOTEL: fIRE fIGHTING Ar SEA

Above the upper flammable limit (UFL) the mixture is said to be too rich to burn .

Below the lower flammable limit (LFL) the mixture is said to be too lean to burn.

Between these limits, the mixture is flammable.

Many ships such as tankers and those carrying dangerous goods have instruments which
measure the percentage of vapour in the air. For other vessels, a general rule is: provide as
much ventilation as possible where flammable liquids are present. It is easier to prevent a
liquid from achieving its flammable range by providing too much air than it is by trying to
starve it of air.

------------ Above the upper flammable limit the mixture of

UFL vapour and air is TOO RICH to burn .

MIXTURE Range

STRENGTH

IN 21%
of

OXYGEN
Flammability

Below the lower flammable limit the mixture of

vapour air is TOO LEAN to burn.

0%
m/sec
Flame Speed

Gaseous Fuels
The hazard presented by flammable gases is the same as that of the vapour given off by low
flashpoint liquids. Depending on its vapour density, a leaking gas (or the vapour from a
liquid) will either disperse upwards or downwards. Like a liquid, it may find a remote source
of ignition and carry a flame back to the source of the leak, or the gases may form an
explosive mixture within an enclosed space.

Always store gas cylinders in a well ventilated place, and keep them out of high fire risk
areas - a gas cylinder caught in a fire may explode. Gas cylinders should be located outside
the machinery space from where the gas will be piped in. Portable cylinders to be used for
cutting or welding in machinery spaces should always be stored outside the area after use.

A leaking oxygen line in a dockyard fire cost eleven lives when rope yarn ignited.

Apart from cargo, the most frequently found flammable gases at sea are the components of
oxy-propane and oxy-acetylene equipment. They must be treated with great care.

9
 VIDEOTEL: filii f'GH'I.NG A'I SIA

A mishandled acetylene cylinder may feel hot to the touch; if so, it could explode and
should be cooled with a fine spray and jettisoned .

An LPG cylinder contains propane or butane gas which is liquefied under pressure and
highly flammable.

Although oxygen is a non-flammable gas, it supports combust ion. A leaking oxygen tank
creates an oxygen-rich atmosphere in which everyday items such as clothing will burn
violently.

A Word about Metals

Like other solids, the flammability of a metal increases with the proportion of its surface
area to its volume . Small particles such as iron filings or swarf will burn easily and some
such as powdered aluminium - may burn explosively. Burn ing metal can be very dangerous.
Water and C02 extinguishers must not be used on burning metal.

Sou rces of Ignition

Having looked at fuel hazards, let us next look at possible sources of ignition.

Here are a few examples:

Type of source Examples

Flames or smouldering sources Smoking materials.

Oil-fired boilers.
Incinerators.
Hot work such as flame cutting and
gas welding.

Hot surfaces Hotplates.

Heating pipes.
Exhaust manifolds.
Faulty machinery.
Electric light bulbs.

10
 VIDEOTEl: fiRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Sparks Mechanical sparks from grinding, chipping

or welding, friction, or funnel sparks, are
low-energy sparks which may start a
smouldering fire.

Electric sparks, sparks from electrostatic

discharge and high energy mechanical
sparks may ignite flammable vapours.

Electric arc welding.

Electrical overheating Overloaded wiring or equipment with a

short circuit or a short to earth.

Spontaneous combustion Substances liable to self-heat

(usually due to oxidation).

Fibrous material soaked in organic oils such

as vegetable oils, the oils used in paints or
hydraulic oils.

Rotting vegetable matter.

Chemicals, or organic material

contaminated with an oxidising agent such
as sewage treatment tablets .

Mineral oils and carbonaceous material are

liable to self heating if external heating is
applied first.

Metal swarf - especially if contaminated

with oil and rags.

As you can see, there is a wide range of ignition sources all around us.

The thing they all have in common is energy. Any kind of energy - for example, chemical or
mechanical - can be transformed into heat energy. Heat energy can act as a direct source of
ignition or raise the temperature of a material to its self-ignition temperature .

One reason that there are so many sources of heat energy arou nd is th at many of ou r
attempts to use energy to do particular jobs are quite inefficient. A lightbulb, for example,
is intended to convert electrical energy to light energy, but it also produces a lot of heat
energy. Similarly, ships are powered by convertin g chem ical energy into mechanical ene rgy,
but a lot of the energy is wasted as noise and heat.

11
 VlDEOTH: FIRE FIGH11NG A1 SEA

Summary
Now that you have finished this chapter, you should know:

The fire triangle - the three elements needed to produce and sustain a fire.

How heat travels.

How different types of fuel are classified, and how they burn .

Common potential ignition sources on a ship.

You should also have a much greater general awareness of the hazards on board your
vessel.

12

 VIDEOTEL: FIRE FIGHFING AF SEA

srcrloN 2: BASIC FIRr PRlVENrloN

I Have you read Section 1: Essential Basics1

You must read it before reading this chapter. .

In this section you will learn:

The importance of cleanliness and tidiness in fire prevention.

The specific risks in areas such as the galley, the engine room, metal workshops, the hold
and the paint store.

What regular checks must be carried out to help minimise the risk of fire .

Understanding what fire is and how it works enables us stop them starting, and to
extinguish them . You already know the three elements necessary for a fire to happen,
and something about fuels, but there are a few other important principles and terms that
you should be familiar with.

When something burns, the total energy that could be produced is called its fire load.

But in assessing its fire risk, there is another very important factor to consider - how great its
surface area is in proportion to its bulk. This is called the specific surface or surface/bulk
ratio.

For example, a solid wood table weighing 200 kg would represent the same fire load as 200
kg of wood shavings, but the wood shavings would be much easier to ignite because they
have a much greate r surface area . Once ignited they would burn much more rapidly than
the table .

Loose materials are a much greater fire hazard than solidly packed or solid material
- they are more likely to ignite and will assist the spread of a f ire.

Think about how spare parts usually come in wood, plastic and paper packi ng material. This
kind of packag ing has a high surface area, and is very flammable, so you can see why we
must never leave discarded packaging around.

That is why the most basic rule of 'fire prevention is " good housekeeping" - cleanliness and
tidiness:

13
 VIDEOTEl: ".RE ".GHT.NG A1 SEA

tI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~

Cleanliness and Tidiness

Garbage is a primary source of fuel and may also self-heat. Do not let it accumulate, and
dispose of it thoughtfully, paying attention to it at every stage to its final destination.

Keep all areas tidy, and pay particular attention to store rooms which are often
overlooked because they are not regularly used or visited.

Use steel bins with lids for collecting oily rags. Empty them regularly.

Clean up spills and messes immediately, particularly oils and chemicals.

Empty wastepaper-baskets frequently.

Clean all filters and vents regularly and thoroughly. Don't forget the one in the
tumble drier.

Electricity
..................................... ...........................................

.,

Electricity is a major cause of fire, so make sure all systems and appliances are safe.

Always take faulty equipment out of service.

Disconnect all equipment when not in use.

Make sure people are trained in how to use electrical equipment safely.

Ensure that appropriate safety notices are posted in all necessary languages.

Circuit breakers or trip switches should not be obstructed. They must be free to operate
and protect the circuit.

The correct procedures are laid out in the Code of Safe Working Practice, or your company's
safety manual.

We will now look at some high risk areas, and explore how we can minimise the risk of a
fire starting.

............................................. ............. " ...................

,..
The Galley

The galley is a source of many hazards. Careless actions such as leaving a cloth on a
hotplate, or an overheated pan of oil are obvious problems.

Turn off ovens when they are not in use and never leave unattended pans on a stove.

Keep ventilation hoods and filters free from grease and dust by cleaning them regularly.
A fire starting here can easily spread through the trunking to other parts of the ship.

14
 VIDfOTH: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Indeed, all equipment in the ga lley should be ke pt clean and free fro m d ust .

Pay attent ion to electrical hazards. Do not overload sockets as the wiring can heat up and
cause a fire. Look out for frayed wires and bro ken plugs - a ba d con nection can cause an
electrical are, resu lt ing in a fire.

Isolate all electrical applian ces when not in use.

........................................................................... .....

The ,.
Engine Room

The en gi ne room is highly susceptib le to fire . Because it contains ai r, fuel , and heat , it is
esse ntia l t o keep these elements separat e. Here are som e hints:

Oi ly ra gs shou ld be put in a li dd ed metal conta iner w hich should be emptied regularl y.

Cotto n, if impregn at ed with oil may spontan eously ign ite. Even w et cotton waste can
gen erate heat and is a potent ia l fi re risk .

Kee p the bi lge free of oi l and scrupulously clean.

En gine room plates shou ld be kept free from oil.

Replace tagg in g that has become impregnated w ith oit. Report any oil lea ks immediately.

Cladd ing and sheathi ng serve t o prevent o il leaks coming into contact with hot surfaces.
Double skin pipe-fittings, if properly maintained, do the same job.

Dirty f uel oil burner tips are a hazard. Oi l can accumulate at the bottom of the furnace
and may cau se an explosion. It is essential to keep the tips clean, with regular cleaning
and inspection.

The engin e room contains electrical equipment, wh ich can provid e sources of ign ition if
not properly maintained and regu larly inspected. The earth meter shows the state of the
electrica l system. The Electrician or 2nd Engineer should check it daily.

It is also extreme ly important to prevent w ater, steam leaks, and condensation causing
parti al or complete sh o rt circuits, w hich may create a fire risk.

Procedures regarding hot w ork such as burn ing, cutting and we lding must alw ays be
f oll ow ed.

You must have properly documented, written, permission - a Permit to Work

issued by the Officer in Charge.
Ensure there is no flammable material in the area you are working in.
Make sure you check behind, above and below you.
Suitable fire fighting appliances must be nearby and available for immediate
use. A standby person or a fire watch should always be present.
When carrying out welding on or near a tank, a permit-to-work must be
obtained, and the correct safety procedures must be observed. For example,
this may involve ensuring that all adjacent tanks are clean and gas-free.

15
 VIDEOTfl.: fIRE flGH11NG . , SEA

The most commonly used liquids in an engine room are all high flash point oils such as diesel
oil, heavy fuel-oil, lube-oil, hydraulic oils, but always check the flash points of fuel oils you
are using. Remember, contamination can effectively lower the flashpoint of liquid.

High flashpoint liquids are still a source of danger, however, not only if they are heated
above their flashpoint, but particularly if they are heated above their self-ignition
temperatures . For example, 011 leaking from a split pipe onto a hot surface does not
vaporise as readily as a low flashpoint liquid would. It remains on the surface to be heated
up, its temperature continuing to rise.

Also note that liquids with high flashpoints tend to have lower SITs. Even if the liquid has an
SIT above the temperature of the surface with which it is in contact, it may gradually
decompose to a substance with an SIT which is low enough to be ignited . If the oil is
soaked into lagging the energy released by this decomposition (or oxidation) may help to
raise the temperature .

Machinery

Arrange for regular inspection and maintenance of all machinery, not just that in the
engine room.

Ensure that safety equipment is in good order, such as emergency fuel shut-offs, baffle
plates, overflow alarms and heat sensors.

Always follow safety procedures.

II

Metal Workshops

In a metal workshop, cleanliness is essential. Rubbish and waste material constitute a fire
hazard. Remember that metal shavings and swarf are particularly hazardous as they are
liable to self-heat.

II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tankers

There are specific regulations governing tankers and other vessels carrying volatile cargoes.
If these are appropriate to you, make sure you are familiar with them.

For example, electrical leads are not permitted to trail across the deck. Something may drop
on the lead and cause a short circuit; or rain could penetrate the connections.

Ensure that a correctly rated fuse protects each item of electrical equipment. Modern circuit
breakers increase electrical safety.

In...............................................................................
the Holds

You must pay strict attention to the requirements of the cargo in the holds. Refer to the
appropriate guidelines such as the Bulk Carrier Code or, in the case of flammable items, the
Dangerous Goods Code.

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 VIDEOTfl fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Coal can give off highly flammable methane gas, especially when freshly loaded. Regular
checking of hold temperatures and atmosphere monitoring is important.

Paint
................................................................................

Store

Static electricity can cause fires. Before pouring flammable liquids, such as varnishes, paint
or kerosene into another container, always electrically discharge them - either by touching
the cans together, or to the metal of the ship.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions to guard against static ignition when using
paint spraying equipment.

It is important on all vessels to follow the instructions contained in the Code of Safe
Working Practice, or the company safety gu ide. On a tanker or gas ca rrier, with an increased
risk of an explosion, it is essent ial.

........................ ........................................................ .

,.
About Cigarettes and Smoking

Statistics show that many ship fires are caused by people smoking and by smoking materials
such as matches, lighters, and pipes . Prevention of fire from these causes is directly within
control of the persons involved. Remember when you light a cigarette - you light a fire.

Only carry cigarettes or smoking and lighting materials in the designated areas.

Use self-extinguishing ashtrays.

Never leave lit cigarettes, pipes or cigars unattended.

When emptying ashtrays, make sure they do not contain smouldering material.

Never smoke in bed! If you must smoke, get out of bed to do so . And when you get back
into bed make sure the cigarette is completely extinguished .

On tanker and other hazardous cargo ships, officers and crew must comply with the rules
that confine smoking to the cabins, public rooms and the wheelhouse. Under no
circumstances can you smoke while passing through a no smoking zone. Smoking outside
designated areas puts the vessel at risk and is a very serious offence. Also note that:

While cargo- or tank-cleaning in port, further restrictions limit smoking to one selected
room .

All visitors must be warned about the no smoking rules before they come on board. Signs
must be clearly posted either at the top or the bottom of the gangway. No visitor should
carry sources of ignition into prohibited areas of the vessel. This is not confined to
matches and lighters - mobile phones and cameras can create sparks too.

17
 VlDEOTEL.: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Regular Checks

In addition to the day-to-day activities above, there are also important regular chec ks.

Electrical Checks
Carry out regular earth-testing and inspection of wiring and fuse ratings.

Get all personal equ ipment inspected by a competent person.

Arrange for regular inspection and maintenance of appliances.

Risk Assessment
It is vital th at you:

Identify and un derstand the hazards of th e cargo and items in t he sh ip 's stores.

Ensure th at risk assessment is carried out and necessary safeguards employed.

Systems Checks
Ensure that fire detecti on and prot ect ion systems are checked and maintained regular ly.

Summary

Now you have read t his chapte r, you shoul d:

Understand how cl eanl iness and t idiness are t he key to fire preventio n.

Understand th e specific risks in areas such as:

The Gall ey.

The Engine Room.

Metal Workshops.

The Holds.

The Paint Store.

Understa nd t he regular checks that must be carried out to hel p m ini mise the risk of fir e.

18
 VIDEOTfl: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

5fcrloN 3: BASIC FIRE FIGHrlNG

In this section you will learn:

The basic rules of fire fighting.

About different types of fire extinguisher, what they are used for and how t o use them.

How to use different hoses and nozzles.

How to take care of fire fighting equipment.

How to move throu g h smoke and fire.

,. ,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . flO

Essential Know/edge

If you discover a fire, the quality of your actions might determin e whether it is exting uish ed
quickly or whether it engulfs the ship.

Fires begin sudd enly and without warn ing . Like fire fi ghtin g equ ipm ent, you r brain must
always be in a fit state to be called on in an em ergency.

People find it difficult to be lieve that they wil l ever have to d eal with this situation, so th ey
do not prepare f o r it. The resu lt can be shock, hesitat ion and fatal w rong decisions.

To prevent th is f ro m happen ing, you m ust kn ow:

What to do if you d iscover a f ire.

W hat to do wh en you hear the fire al arm.

Whe re the equipment is.

How to use it effective ly.

eo ,. II

What to Do if you Discover a Fire

The basic ru les are common to all ships. Here is an easy way to remember them :

F IND A FIRE
I SOLATE IT
R EPORT IT
E XTINGUISH IT IF IT IS SMAll ENOUGH TO BE
TACKLED WITH ONE PORTABLE EXTINGUISHER
IF IT IS TOO LA RGE TO TACKLE, "E" STANDS FOR Escape

19
 VIDEOTEL: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Let's look at the responses to finding a fire in more detail.

ISOLATE IT: If it can be done quickly and safely, you should act to stem the flow of any fuel
to the fire by isolating the fuel valve or stopping the pump. If the fire involves electricity,
and it is safe to do so, isolate the circuit by throwing a switch or contact breaker, or by
pulling out a plug.

If you are leaving the scene of the fire to raise the alarm, close the door behind you .

REPORT IT: The most important thing to do is to raise the alarm. If you discover a fire, do
not try to extinguish it without raising the alarm first. You could be overcome by smoke,
and no-one else on the ship would be aware that there was a fire and that you were in
danger.

Shout "fire fire" until someone responds. Tell them to raise the alarm while you attempt to
control the fire, if it is safe to do so. If you cannot contain the fire, at least you know help is
on the way.

EXTINGUISH IT, if the fire is small enough for you to tackle with an extinguisher. If it isn't,
you must ESCAPE .

Fighting Fires

Most fires begin small, but they can rapidly grow. The larger a fire gets, the more difficult it
is to control.

You already know from Section 1: Essential Basics

that a fire needs three elements:

20

 VIDEOTEL: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

To extinguish a fire, you must remove one of the elements.

Removing heat is called cooling - for example, by using water spray from an extinguisher.

Removing fuel is called fuel starvation - for example, closing valves to shut off the
supply of flammable gas or liquid.

Removing air is called smothering - for example by using a fire blanket, C02foam or
simply shutting off the supply of air to an area.

The last two principles can also be applied when trying to prevent a fire from spreading
further.

Removing the fuel from the boundary of a fire to stop it spreading further is called
boundary starvation. Cooling the area around a fire to stop it spreading is called
boundary cooling.

Starvation

Smothering

Cooling

Modern technology has provided a fourth method of putting out a fire - flame inhibition.
Effectively, this turns the familiar fire triangle into a fire square.

21
 VlDEOTH: FIRE FlGHnNG AT SEA

HEAT - COOLING

CHAIN REACTIONS
AIR OF COMBUSTION
SMOTHERING FLAME INHIBITION

FUEL - STARVATION

Flam e inhibition absorbs the energ y an d re active part icl es in a f lame, destroying th e fl ame
structure. This is how dry powd er exti ngu ishers combat a fire; t hey do not cool, smother or
starve th e fi re of f uel.

Other extinguishing agents that use f lame inhibition - altho ugh they may also use other
techniques as well, include ha lon, some halon subst itut es, an d high pressure w ater-fog.

.................. ..................... ........................................

Fire Extinguishers

A ll fi re extin g uishers use one of the above methods. Ships carry a va riety of portab le f ire
extinguishing equ ipme nt, usua lly coloured red. However, so me systems are colour coded
(sometimes the w hole cy li nder is a different colou r, or th e equ ipm ent may carry a colour
coded band).

Modern extinguishers use one of t wo propell ant systems:

gas cartridge - t hese use a C02 cartridge to provide the press ure t o expel the cont ents.
The cartridge can be removed and repla ced .

st ored pressure - t hese contain a pressurised gas su ch as nitrogen with in t he exti ngui sh er.

Ot her, older, systems can still be found on some vessels. If your ship has these, yo u w ill need
t o ask about how to use and maintain them .

Extingu ishers approp riate for different ki nds of f ires should be located th rou ghout th e ship
accord ing t o the risks at each part icul ar location . Occasionally, however, there w ill be several
d ifferent kin ds of risk . On the bridge, for instance, you will find elect rical equipment, boo ks,
papers an d charts, and perhaps hydraulic oil. Each is a different kind of fi re and
extinguishers which can safely be used on one of these may be dangerous when ap plied t o
one of the others.

So you must know which extinguishers to use on which fires.

22
 VIDEOTfL: fIRE fIGHTING Af SEA

Now let's look at some of the most common t ypes and how t hey are used. But remember
when using a fire extingu isher, al w ays fo ll ow the instruction s which are w ritte n on it.

Water Extinguishers

These are th e most comm on. They work by

cooling, reducing t he temperature of the
burning substance to a point where it can
no longer burn.

Water extinguishers are suitable for dealing

with fires involving carbonaceous materials
such as wood, paper, bedding, curtains and
plastics - the sorts of things you see when
you look around the mess room or cabin.

Technique: Spray water directly onto

burning fuel and move the jet about quickly
to break the water up into droplets to get
the best cooling effect. Start at the base of
the f ire on the side nearest to you and
sweep from side to side working upwards
and away from you . Carryon damping until
all the water has been used to prevent
ignition. In bu lky f ires such as cotton w aste, break-up and spread out the material to
dissi pate heat and to make sure it is all wetted. Keep low to avoid the heat and steam, and
keep your back to the escape route.

Note that water extinguishers are hazardous when used o n f ires involving flam mable liquids
or electrical equipment. Do not use near electrical equipment unless th e current has been
isolated.

A gauge like this denotes stored pressure. Some adm inistrations ban
stored pressure extinguishers in accommodation areas, because of the
dangers o f it bursting in a f ire.

23
 VIDE01CL: "'RE "'GHT'NG AT SEA

Foam Extinguishers Te
co
Foam extinguishers work by smothering a fire, starving it of the air it needs. Use them on sp
flammable liquid fires. Do not use on electrical equipment unless the current has been all
isolated. th
th
There are two types of foam extinguisher: chemical and mechanical.

The older, and less common type, is the chemical foam extinguisher, in which the foam and
the propellant are made by mixing two separate chemicals within the extinguisher. This is
done by turning the extinguisher over and shaking it.

These have been largely replaced by the newer mechanical foam extinguisher which uses
pre-mixed foam expelled, under pressure, by a carbon dioxide gas cartridge. To activate this
type, a plunger pierces the seal of the cartridge, releasing the propellant.

Aqueous Film Forming Foam - usually called" A- triple-F for short - is a special type of
II

foam. It penetrates well and is suitable for most types of fires . These extinguishers are
particularly effective on flammable liquid fires.

Detergent-based foam compounds such as A-triple-F will act as a wetting agent, and help
water to soak into carbonaceous materials such as upholstery, cardboard and linen.

Foam extinguishers are easy to re-charge with ready mixed foam material. With the
mechanical type and A-triple-F extinguishers, you must also fit a new C02 cartridge.

CO
sn

Foam techniques
(a) Contained fire, f
spray on vertical 7i
surface behind
fire.

(b) Open spill,

spray upwards
allow foam to
drop gently on
fire.

24
 VlDEOTH: ',RE ',GHT,NG AT SEA

Technique: Stay back from the fire and use the full throw of the extinguisher. On a
contained fire, spray the foam on the inside edge of the container and let the foam blanket
spread undisturbed. On an open spill fire direct the foam jet upwards and fan side to side to
allow the foam to drop gently on to the fire. l'Jever direct the foam into the oil. Discharge
the whole extinguisher as the foam will boil away from hot surfaces exposing the surface of
the 011 to reignition.

Using a Foam Extinguisher on a Flammable Liquid Fire

It is important to use the correct technique. Used wrongly, they can create a
hazard.

Direct the foam onto a vertical surface so that it can flow down and over the
entire surface of the burning liquid .

If the fire is in the open, spray the foam into the air, allowing it to fall gently
onto the blaze.

Never aim foam directly at the surface of the liquid. If the liquid temperature is
high, and the surface is penetrated, the water contained in the foam will rapidly
turn into steam which may result in the same type of "boil over" effect you see
when water is sprayed straight into burning oil. Even if the temperature is low, a
smothering blanket w ill not be able to form if the foam is being blasted away
instead of being allowed to fall onto the area.

Carbon Dioxide (C02) Extinguishers

C02 extinguishers deprive the fire of oxygen,

smothering it. To activate, remove the pin
and press the trigger. C02 extinguishers can
be stopped and restarted as required.

C02 extinguishers are suitable for all kinds of

fire, except where there is deep-seated heat.
They can be safely used on electrical fires.

They last only for around 30 seconds, so use

them carefully so as not to waste them
needlessly.

C02 is an asphyxiant. Use with caution in confined areas because it wi ll displace

the air and reduce the amount of oxygen available.

25
 VIDEOTEL flRf fiGHTING A1 SfA

C02has some effect on flammable liquid fires but may not be effecti ve on carbonaceo us
fires. This is because carbon dioxide has little or no cooling effect, no penetrat ion an d the
gas disperses easily. Water is usually much more effective on carbonaceous f ires.

Technique: Th e gas comes out with force and may scatter fuel if th e horn is placed too
cl ose to loose or liqu id bu rn ing materia l. If the horn is directed too high, t he gas may
disperse w ith th e f lames an d f ail to exti nguish t he f ire. The gas must f low over t he surface
of th e f uel to excl ude air and smot her the f ire. On an open fire st art at th e nearest ed ge
and sw eep back and f orth work ing tow ards th e back of t he f ire. On a f ire inside electri cal
machi nery put the discharge horn against an opening or gri ll . On a carbonace ous fire or a
f ire in electrical equ ipm ent, discharge th e w hol e extinguish er t o obtain th e ma ximum
cool ing . On a liqu id f ire stop as soon as the f ire is out an d guard aga inst reign it ion. Th ese
extingu ishers expel very cold gas, so be careful not to fre eze your hands. The disch arg e horn
can give yo u a co ld burn, so always use the grip provided.

Dry Powder Extinguishers

These w ork by chemical ly interfering w ith the burning process. They act as a fla me inh ibitor.

Dry powder exti nguish ers are most often used on liquid or gaseous fires, but they may also
be used f or other types, depending on the kind of powder in t he extinguisher.

To activate t he extinguisher, either squeeze th e hand le or use th e plunger to pierce the seal.

In dry pow der extin guishers, the C0 2 acts as th e propel lant f or the pow der. Once act ivated,
the gu n or nozzle can be turn ed on or off as required.

Dry powder has a rapid knock dow n effect on a f ire. It can also be saf ely used on f ires
involvi ng live electrical conductors.

Dry powder has no cooling effect and does not penetrate well.

Nevertheless, t he special powd ers are good at coating carbonaceous materia ls an d

preventing continued burning. To prevent reign ition, coo ling may also be needed.

Special powders are ava il abl e f or use on meta ll ic f ires.

The powder extinguishers are rel ati vely easy to refill. Use measured amounts of powder and
new cylinders of C02. Even if an extinguisher has only been pa rtly discharged, it should
always be recharged ful ly.

As with any pressurised extinguisher, make sure that any remain ing C02 charge has been
complete ly released bef ore dismantling.

Technique: Keep low to avoid a flare-up when you start. Use a sweeping action from side
to side, working from the front, but do not move forward into a f lammab le liquid spill
because of the danger of a flash reign ition . Remember that powder has no cooling or
smothering effect, so vapour can still re ignite. Once the fire is extinguished, stop
di sch arging, but stay alert for reig nition.

26
 V'DEOTli~ flU FIGHTING AT SEA

Other Types of Extinguisher

Larger Powder Extinguishers

Many ships carry larger types of powder extinguishe rs ra nging from semi-portable on es
designed t o be located by the manifold on a tanker to large wheeled units design ed for use
in an eng ine room.

Fire Blankets
Th ese are useful on fat-pan f ires, contained liquid fires, peopl e and fo r smotheri ng any
small f ire.

Technique: Fold the top edge of th e blanket back over your hands to protect th em. Hold
your hands up with arms spread w ide to allow the blanket to hang in front of you to
protect your body and f ace from ra diant heat and flames. Advance and drape th e blanket
over the fi re stretch ing towa rd s the back to prevent th e blanket dipping in the liqu id.

Try not to panic and throw the bl an ket as th is may force air int o th e conta iner and cause an
erupt ion of fl ame . Turn off any heat undern eath and leave to coo l. If the blanket is
removed premature ly t he oil may be hot enough to re ignite.

Using a fire blanket on a person: Lay them on th e floor. Use t he blanket to pat out th e
flam es but do not leave them rolled up in the blanket as it may trap heat from smouldering
clothing next to their skin.

A bla nk et can also be used to prov ide personal protection against heat when escaping a f ire.

I Do you know how to provide First Aid to burns? If not, learn now.

'" II

Extinguisher Summary

You must know what types of extinguisher to use on different kinds of fires. Always use the
right one, or you could make the fire worse and cause you and your colleagues serious
harm.

The general rules are:

Use water extinguishers for fires involving carbonaceous materials. NEVER use them
on liquids or electrical fires.

Use foam ext inguishers on liquid fires.

Use C02 or dry powder extinguishers on fires involving electricity.

Powder extinguishers can be used on all types of fires, but check on the label of a
particular extinguisher as there are different kinds of powder extinguishers.

27
 VIDEOTEL: FI.E FIGHTING AT SEA

Lie
Carbonaceous Flammable Liquids Electrical Gaseous
Ge l
Water or

Foam
V'
" " ins'

A-triple-F V'
V'
V'
" FOe
CO2 V' V' oil

Dry powder # t/ V' v' Lo~

Key: V' =suitable " = not suitable # =as indicated by the label Gc

Extinguishers can be Dangerous

Remember that fire extinguishers are pressurised and can be extremely AI

dangerous. Always check them carefully for signs of corrosion. Look out for po
hidden corrosion, for example behind a plastic skirt. w i'

Many injuries have been caused by people unscrewing extinguisher heads under Liq
pressure. If you hear a high pressure "hiss" stop unscrewing. Make sure that wa
pressure relief holes are clear.
M
Extinguishers should be checked and maintained by specialists, but if on-board
maintenance is conducted, ensure that they are discharged on a regular basis for Do
crew training, put a date stamp on them so that different extinguishers are used cal
each time, and to be certain that all your extinguishers have been checked and
refilled within the statutory periods. Make sure nozzles are clear and discharge 5p'
hoses in good cond ition.
P
do
................................................................................

Fuels and How to Tackle Them

50 far in this section we have concentrated on the different types of equipment available,
and when to use them. Now we need to look at different kinds of fires, and how they must
be tackled.

Carbonaceous Fuels

After burning, carbonaceous fuels leave behind smouldering embers, so cooling is the best
technique to use. Water and foam extinguishers are very effective at doing this .

Deep seated fires will need very large amounts of water or foam. If a fire appears to be out,
continue applying water or foam while carefully turning over the fuel to reach deep-seated
fire pockets. If you do not do this, the fire may re-ignite.

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 VIDEOTEL; FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Liquid Fuels

Generally speaking, liquid fires are best fought by smothering them, either with a blanket
or lid (in small, contained situations such as fat-pan fires), smothering gas from a fixed
installation, or a foam extinguisher.

Foam is a soapy water solution. Because it is frothy, it is less dense than oil so it floats on the
oil to create a smothering blanket.

Low flashpoint liquids may also be extinguished with dry powder or C02 extinguishers.

Gaseous Fuels

Fires involving flammable gases under pressure in pipes or tanks are extremely hazardous.
Such fires should never be fought unless the gas has been isolated.

A high pressure gas flame should only be extinguished by closing the valve. If this is not
possible it should be allowed to burn, but the cylinder and other surfaces should be cooled
with water spray from behind a protective barrier.

Liquid spills of LPG may be extinguished with a dry powder extinguisher, but never use
water.

Metal Fires

Do not use water, foam, C02 or general dry powder extinguishers on metal fires. They can
cause a violent reaction.

Special dry powder extinguishers are available which are suitable for metallic fires . If a dry
powder extinguisher is suitable for use on a metallic fire, it will say so on the label. If it
doesn't say so, don't use it.

Small fires of less reactive metals such as steel swarf may be smothered using dry sand (not
wet!).

If the fire is small, and you have no alternatives, you may use water but only if you have
enough to deluge the fire and can do so from a safe distance.

Electricity

Electricity is a heat source, not a fuel, but if it is present, it complicates the way you tackl e a
fire . Unless the electric circuits are isolated, the electricity may cause reignition as soon as
the fire is extinguished.

Generally speaking, dry powder and C0 2 extinguishers are the only extinguish ers tha t shou ld
be used o n electrical equipment.

Water in the form of a spray is less likely to conduct electricit y back to t he firefi ghters at
normal voltages (never spray water near high voltage) but may sti ll cau se short circuits.

If available, halons are non -conducting, so fixed installations w hich use th em can be used on
electrical f ires.

29
 VIDfOTEL: flU " GHTING A~ SEA

.......................................................................... ..

About Fixed Installations

In additi o n to portable fire extinguishers and hoses and blan kets, some ships are also fitted
w ith "fixed installati ons " .

Halons

Some o ld er vessel s ca rry fi xed insta ll at ions which use halons. These w o rk by interfer in g
chemica lly wi th the f lam e. But in doing so, they produce harmful toxins, so t hey must be
used w ith extreme caut ion in confined spaces. Alt hough halons are very effective, they
cause dam age t o the ozone layer and are gradually being replaced w ith other systems.

Hi-Fog Systems

Hi-Fog systems are designed f or use in conf ined spa ces. They produce fine water droplets
w hich absorb energy in the f lame and cool hot surfaces, air and produ cts of combustion
(flam e inhibition). Th e steam produced also has a smothering eff ect. These systems are
usually fitted in areas such as fuel rooms above generators and elect rical sw itch gear.

C02 Installations

C02 fixed installations work in the same way as C02 extinguish ers, depriving the fire of
oxygen. Like C02 extinguishers they are also very hazardous as they displace the oxygen,
leaving little or nothing for people to breathe. They must be used only on the orders of the
master or senior officer, for example w hen an engine room or cargo hold fire threatens the
safety of the vessel, and when they are assured that the area is clear of personnel.

Before using a fixed CO, installation:

- Sound the fire alarm

- Evacuate the area
- Take a roll call to make sure no-one is left there
- Seal off all doors
- Shut all vents and accesses.

A C02 f ixed installation cann ot be used to make safe an area containing a f lammable
atmosphere, but where t here is no actual fire. Th is is because static may be caused d uring
the discharge which could actually start a f ire.

Foam Installations

On ships f itted w ith th is kind of installatio n, pipes carry the solut ion of foam and w ater to
vital points around th e eng ine roo m or direct to mob ile app licators on the deck or cargo
areas w here it is aerated to make foam.

Dry Powder Fixed Installations

Dry powder fi xed installations are w idely used in LPG and LNG shi ps as they are very
effect ive on fires involving these kind s of gases. They are sometimes bac ked up with mobil e
install ati ons f or more local ised use.

30
 VlDEOTEL: "RE liGHTING AT SEA

., 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hoses

Water is the most plentiful weapon against fire at sea, but it needs to be pumped to the
hydrants. At least two main pumps should be dedicated to doing this . A third backup, the
Emergency Fire Pump, is located safely away from the engine room.

A ship's fire fighting installation should always provide sufficient power so that two jets can
reach any part of the vessel normally accessible to the crew.

Care of Hoses

Always keep hoses stored correctly, so t hat th ey are rea dy f or use in an emergency. The two
most com mon methods are:

The norm al roll (ro lli ng ro und th e f emal e end).

"On the b ig ht" - often call ed th e "Dutch roll ".

Dutch Roll

Either method can be used, b ut all hoses on a ship must be rolled up using the same method
to avoid confusion wh en unrolling them.

The Dutch ro ll has two advantages:

1. The two coup li ngs sit in the bottom of the locke r, so ca nnot damage the hose thro ugh
vibrat ion.

2. It is easi er to unroll in conf ined areas. Even if it is n ot unrolled properly, half is ro lled o ne
way and half the other, so it is never twisted.

When unrolling a Dutch-rolled hose, lay it out away from the fire.

Here are some important points about the care of hoses:

After use, a modern hose must be laid out and drained by walking along it, holding each
part at shoulder level as you walk along. This is called" under-running".

Old canvas hoses must be dried before being stowed away to prevent rot and mildew.

31
 V/DE01FL: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

After use, clean off any contaminants with a mild detergent. Dip the couplings and
nozzles in fresh water before stowing away.

Hoses must be maintained and tested regularly, and records kept of these activities.

Protect couplings from salt spray with a light grease.

Using a Hose

Modern hoses are lined with latex or plastic, so avoid letting them rest on smouldering
embers. Never let an empty hose rest on a hot deck, as there is no flow of water to carry

heat away.

Modern hoses are available in different diameters.

The smaller hoses are lighter, more flexible and particularly useful in accommodation
areas. Because they are lighter, you use less energy when carrying them. This is important
if you are using breathing apparatus (BA), as your cylinder will last longer. Because
modern hoses are smooth lined, the smaller hoses still produce more water than the
larger unlined hoses.

Larger diameter hoses are best for use in unconfined areas, such as on deck.

All hoses can be damaged by shock or rubbing.

Always turn hydrants on and off gently to avoid sudden surges of pressure.

Do not let doors swing shut on a hose. Make sure doors are held or hooked open.

Do not clear a kink by kicking the hose.

If a hose is resting on a sharp edge, protect it with a doormat or something similar.

About Nozzles

Straight-Through Jets

A straight-throu gh jet is designed to throw water a long way, a feature not often needed
in a ship fire. When using, take care that the jet does not scatter burning fuel.

Adjustable (or Variable) Jet-Spray Nozzle

More effective and flexible is the adjustable jet-spray nozzle which lets the user open
and close the flow of water, and produce:

a jet - useful for prope lling water over long distances. The force of a jet also helps assist
water penetration when damping down after a fire .

a spray - which is a more effective way of cooling than a jet. The hollow cone shape of
the spray also protects the user from heat and flame.

32
 VIDfOTEL: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Water should never be used by high voltages, but note that one key advantage of using
spray is that it is less likely than a jet to conduct electricity back to the firefighter.

a wall of water which can be useful in enabling people to get close to a fire in order to
close a valve. It can also be used in combination with other equipment by providing a
wall of water at close range to protect people using another hose or other extinguishers.

Because adjustable jet-spray nozzles can be shut off:

It is easier to limit the amount of water damage caused.

The ship's stability can be more easily controlled.

Less water is wasted, so more is available for use elsewhere.

The user can control the humidity of the environment. Turning off the hose for a moment
will allow the steam to dissipate and enable you to see and hear better.

Using an Adjustable Jet-Spray Nozzle

1. ALWAYS point the hose down towards the deck before opening.

2. Turn the jet to a spray, then to a fine, wide water curtain to cool and protect
you as you near the fire.

3. Turn the nozzle to a spray with a 60 0 arc.

4. Before closing, point the hose down towards the deck .

./
./
./
./
./
./
./
,- -~r-
./

~
' - -~f-
~'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'

Turbine Driven Nozzles

The hoses on some vessels have nozzles with revolving teeth driven by a turbine.

This nozzle is very effective because it produces very fine droplets and can be adjusted to

produce a variety of spray patterns to suit different tasks and situations.

The finely divided drops of water in the spray work in two ways :

They reduce the heat of the fire to below the ignition temperature of the burning
material.

33
 VlDEOTEl: FI.E FIGtnlNG AT SEA

The blanket of steam helps seal off the fire.

Note that a solid cone of spray gives you better protection than a hollow one.

If possible, attack the blaze from the windward side - or where there is the least smoke .

Fog (or High Pressure Water Spray) Nozzles

These have three positions - shut-off, fog and jet. The tiny water droplets produced by the
"fog" setting absorb energy in the flame, the same way that a dry powder extinguisher
works on a fire, but with an additional cooling effect. Like dry powder, they can be used to
extinguish low flashpoint liquid fires.

- - - -
r ~
.----=-==---
- ~

([1:. ~

Shut

Th e high velocit y nozzl e can be rep laced by an extension tube with a high den sity nozzle
w hich instead of a stream of dropl ets, prod uces a cl oud . Th e extension can be insert ed
direct ly int o a f ire.

34
 VIDEOTEL. " ., f iGHTING AT SIA

Fog Nozzle Hazards

A fog nozzle needs good pressure to be effective.

It does not produce a hollow cone of water spray to protect the user.

When used in an enclosed space it can produce a great deal of steam.

...............................................................................
Moving Through A Fire Area

Before opening the door to a f ire area, feel the heat of the door with the back of the
hand, up and down, and then the handle.

If the door opens towards you, keep your shoulder and knee against the door as you
slowly open it. The fire in the room may have generated explosive vapour which may
flash when it meets the air. The force can be expl osive.

Keep low, and stay on the hinged side of the door. The f ire will suck cold air in from th e
bottom causing flames to billow out from the top.

If there are flames, use your extinguisher immediately using a sweeping movement. But
before you do, be sure that the extinguisher you are using is app ropriat e fo r the type of
fire . A dry powder exting uisher is usually appropriate for most kinds of fi res.

If a door t o a fire is open, cl ose it. This will contain t he fi re and depr ive it of t he air it
needs.

Al ways ke ep low . You can see better and you w ill suffer less qui ckly f rom heat and steam.

Try to fe el your way ahead w ith your feet, especi ally w hen wa lking in smoke. Keep your
feet fl at on t he deck. Do not lift th em as you do w hen you normally walk.

Tu rn th e hose off f rom ti me to ti me t o all ow the steam to cl ear. This improves visibil it y
and reduces t he humidit y.

III

Moving Through Smoke

Keep low.

Bef ore advancing, feel th e space in front of your fa ce by w aving your free arm up and
dow n in fro nt of it.

Always keep contact w ith your t eam mates and w ith t he bulkh ead so you do not lose
your sense of direction.

To search a larger space, keep cont act with a bulkh ead, hold hands and stretch out,
fee ling f orwa rds with you r feet .

35

 VlDEOTEL; FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Moving Down A Ladder

There are some important safety rules that you must observe when descending a ladder:

Cool the ladder, then lower the hose, with its nozzle closed, to the bottom of the ladder,
before you or your team mates descend .

Do not attack the fire with the hose until all team members are down the ladder. When
the water hits the fire, the steam produced may go up the hatch scalding anyone there.

................................................................................

Using Breathing Apparatus (BA)

Check the gauges frequently. This is especially important before going further into a
space or down a ladder.

Work as a team and look after each other - always warn the others of any obstructions
you meet.

Keep low. You will be able to see further if you look below the smoke layer.

Care and Maintentance

Inspect BA sets regularly, following the manufacturer's recommended

maintenance procedures.

Working Together

As we have seen in this section, there is a huge range of equipment provided to help fight
fires. However, there is one essential element which technology cannot provide : teamwork.

Effective fire fighting relies on people working effectively together. Without this skill, fires
take longer to control, and lives are put at risk.

This element is explored more fully in the next section, Command and Control at the
Incident.

Summary

Now that you have read this section, you should understand:

The basic rules of fire fighting.

About different types of fire extinguisher and their uses.

How to use different hoses and nozzles.

How to take care of fire fighting equipment.

How to move through smoke and fire .

36
 VIDEOTEL: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

SlcriON 4: COMMAND AND eONrROI Ar rHI .HeiDENr

Co-ordinating the fire fighting teams relies on command and control.

Command and control is split between two areas :

the bridge (or if necessary an alternative place of safety suitable as a base for
communication).

the area of the incident.

Both are of equal importance.

This section looks at setting up the emergency organisation, and the command and control
at the point of the fire . After studying this section, you will know:

The different parties involved and their responsibilities.

The main elements and principles of command and control at the incident.

The importance of fire drills, and how to make them effective.

...............................................................................

Basic Principles

The first task of command and control is to provide the three lie'S of naval strategy:

Co-ordination.

Communication.

Control.

Fro m the moment a fire is reported, all three must be established rap idly otherwise a f ourth
lie' - Chaos - will take over.

The organisation of a fire fig ht in g activity will depend on the size of t he ship and number
of crew, but typically, t he master has the co-o rd inati ng role on t he bridge or at some oth er
safe place on the sh ip if the bridg e is out of action .

The M aster's ro le is discussed, in greater detail, in the programm e, Command and Control by
the Master.

37
 VlDf01EL: f l fIGHTING AT S.A

II

Mustering

On mustering, the leader of the each party takes a roll call . If someone is missing, the leader
must notify the bridge immediately and start a search.

In this case, the emergency party is faced with the double task of trying to find and retrieve
the missing member, and locating and extinguishing the fire.

................................................ , ............................... .

The Parties

On board, the officers and crew are organised into different parties:

One or more attack parties.

Suppo rt parti es.

A First Aid party.

The select ion of members for the parties is usually made when crew members join the ship.
This sho uld be done on th e bas is of experience, physical cond itio n, age, and special ist
knowledge.

A lthough t hey shou ld be interchangeabl e, as t he ci rcumstances dictate, the pa rt ies should

be kept together as units. Each un it has specific dut ies and peopl e shou ld not deviat e from
the m unless express ly ordered to do so by the Master.

On ships w ith o nly one emerg ency pa rty, th e Chi ef Off icer w ill usuall y t ake ch arg e.

If the fire is in th e engi ne roo m, t he Second Eng ineer will autom atically take over because
inti mate knowle dge of the location will be essential.

Having f ormed the parties, th e next task is to ensure th at crew s are fu lly t ra ined so they
know :

Th ei r rol e and respons ibil it ies.

M ustering arrangem ents.

The location of equipment such as hoses, extinguishers, breathing apparatus and

protective clothing.

The Support Party

The vital task of the Support Party is to back up the fire fighters by fetching additional
equipment such as hoses and BA cylinders as required by the attack party.

They will also often be called on to stop the fire spreading by undertaking boundary cooling
or boundary starvation, or by removing potential nearby fuel.

They are also responsible for preparing the lifeboats and other life saving appliances and

38

 VIDEOTfl: FIRE FIGHriNG Ar SEA

bringing up extra water and blankets, the lifeboat radio, VHF radios, SART' s and EPIRB.

On hearing the alarm, the support party musters at its designated station, reports t o t he
bridge and awaits in structions.

The Engine Room Party

The muster point for the Engine Room Party is in the Engine Contro l Room. This team is
respon si bl e for maintaining power suppli es, ensuring the main eng ine is available f or
manoeuvrin g, stoppin g and sta rti ng mach inery an d isolating affected electric circuits an d
equ ipment.

The initial tasks of the Eng ine Room Party are t o check th at all pu mps are fully operation al
and th at th e emergency pump and gen erator are f unctioning correctly.

The First Aid Party

The First A id Party, usua lly headed by the cook or steward, must ers at the exit to the
hospital w here they co llect stretch ers, blankets, first aid kit, and a resusci tator pack. The
resuscitator may be needed to help anyone overcome by smoke and fum es.

On muste ring, the leader takes a roll call and then reports to the master. The party then
stands by to await f urther instructions.

The Attack Party

The Attack Party, or Emergency Party, has the task of directly fighting the fire.

After musteri ng and reporting in, it proceeds as quickly as possibl e to the reported fire
zone, taking w ith it t he appropriate equ ipment .

On arriving, the officer in ch arge makes an immediate assessment of the situation and
commences appropriate init ial act ivities, keeping in regular contact w ith the bridge. This is
vi ta l, because the fu ll extent of the f ire may not be apparent and the bridge w ill be
receiving reports from other parts of t he ship.

The assessment mu st cover:

The location of nearby hazards such as chemicals and compressed gases.

Whether breat hing ap paratus or protective clothing wi ll be needed.

Whether people should fight the fire or whether t o batten down and contain it.

Which apparatus to use.

The direction of attack.

The leader of the emergency party is directly in charge of the attack on the fire, leaving the
other considerations to other groups.

39
 VIDEOTEL: "RE FIGHTING AT SEA

The Elements of Command and Control

Locating the Seat of the Fire

Locating the seat of the fire can be difficult. Using smoke t o trace it can be misleading, as it
travels t hrough ducting and behind pane ll ing. More relia ble clues are heat and fla mes,
although even these may be secondary.

Stopping Heat and Fire from Spreading

A shi p is like a metal box. The steel it is made f rom conducts heat ve ry w ell, so heat can
spread rapi d ly f rom one part of the sh ip t o another. Wh ile the seat of a fi re is bein g foug ht,
adj acent area s sho uld be monitored for the spread of f ire an d heat. Boundary coo li ng is an
essent ial w eapon in m inimising t his spread of heat .

Boundary starvatio n by removing nearby fu el should be used to sto p th e spread of f ire. Thi s
can be tim e-consuming and difficult . If t he f ire is be low the cabin areas, for exampl e, the
carpets w il l need to be lifted, drawers removed from under bunks and wa rdrobes empti ed.
If there is a store room near to a fire, it will need to be empti ed of ca rdbo ard boxes, paper
sacks and other pot enti al f ue l.

Containment

If a f ire cannot be beaten back or access to the fire is impossib le, a strategy of conta inm ent
is vital. This invo lves putting the f ire into a physical box or boxes, and contain ing th e spread.
Boundary starvat ion and boundary cooling are essent ial w eapons. Once the f ire is
contained, more extensive resources such as a team of firefi ghters with hoses or the use of a
fixed installation can be brought into play.

Ventilation

Ventilation control is one of the most difficult cha ll enges in fire fight ing. Feeding the fire
with air increases the rate at which it burns; cl os ing down the ventilation boxes in both heat
and smoke.

There are recorded cases of both extremes causi ng prob lems. In on e instance, t he
ventilation drew smoke dow n into an eng ine room which had to be abandoned sooner
th an would otherwise have been the case. In another case, the engine room had to be
abandoned because a small fire at its top filled it with smoke w hen the ventilation was
stopped .

Partial ventilatio n is another option, or retain ing some ventil ation sources and closing
others. For example, by sw itching off fans and leaving natural ventilation open .

Whatever the so lution, all ventilation must be controlled, and all sources of venti lation
considered: an open door in one part of a ship could cause superheated gases to f unnel
towards f irefighters in anoth er pa rt of the ship.

Venti lation needs vary depending on the stage of a f ire and the way it is being fought. If a
room containing a f ire is clear of people, t he space can be battened dow n complete ly and
boundary cooled. Re-entry to finish the f ire will require ent ry through t he smallest possible

40

 VIDEOTEL; "IIE FIGHTING AT SEA

opening (and from a low level) but once fire fighters are at the fire, thorough ventila tion is
essential to disperse smoke, heat an d humidity.

Breathing Apparatus

If a fire is burning in an enclosed space, breathing apparatus will be essential, and should be
got ready.

Remember that if the fire is contained or damped down, the amount of smoke will initia lly
Increase.

UK fire brigades have a golden rule th at if breathing apparatus is used, at least two fire
fighters must work together. Some authorities insist on BA teams of at least four peop le for
ship-board fires. Team mem bers m ust not fight a fire from oppo site directions.

Selecting a BA Team

At least one member of the team should be familiar with the area.

All team members must be familiar with donning an d t esti ng procedures.

Working as a team of two peop le has a number of be nef its:

Each ca n check on the safety of t he othe r.

Tw o people can hand le a casualty more easily than on e.

People gai n confi dence and mora l courage fro m the presence of the other.

One person can cont ro l th e nozzl e w hile t he oth er ca rri es the weight of t he hose.

The backup person ca n commun icate between the centre of operations and the principal
f ire f ighter.

However, w here resources are stret ched , using two peo ple effectively uses twice the amou nt
of BA air.

You may have the choice between using self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or
airhose and bellows sets. While SCBA offers superior manoeuvrability, do not automatically
rule out using airhose and bellows sets. They offer unlimited duration other than the ability
of the wearer to withstand heat and humidity. Where the situation involves searching
through smoke to establish the location of a fire, there is a strong argument for keeping
SCBA sets in reserve for use in the actual attack on the fire.

41
 VIDEOTEL: F'R. F'GH"'NG A., srA

Good Practice with BA

The entry t imes of person nel using SA should be recorded and kept on the
bridge to help ensure that people do not endanger themselves by running out of
air.

The amount of air breathed differs from person to person, and according to the
exertion. TIme limits are merely a guide; the only reliable source of information is
the gauge.

Ideally, a relief should be ready to take over the fire fighting or rescue at the
time the first wearer has to withdraw. If a note is taken of the time of entry and
gauge reading, the approximate time of whistle can easily be calculated, or
better, obtained from a prepared table on the control board. The relief can
follow the wearer's hose and lifeline as the whistle blows.

Each BA wearer should be supported by someone to check the donning and

testing procedure and tend to the lifeline. Where resources are stretched, one
person could mo nitor two wearers.

SCBA air is preci ous. Ensure that people do not breathe from a SCBA set
unnecessarily while waiting to be sent in.

If resources permit, it is wise to have an additional SA wearer on "standby" ready

to go inside w ith communications from the officer in charge .

Although there is no limit to the supply of air to an airhose wearer, the heat and
humidity provi des limits of endurance.

Equipment for SA Wearers

A SA wearer wil l need:

A lamp to read the gauge.

A hose for protection, even if the mission is search and rescue .

A properly fitted hard-hat with chin strap.

An axe may also be necessary to gain entry through a door.

A signa l tall y.

Briefing a SA Wearer

Before sending a SA wearer in:

Explain t he t ask. For exampl e, to locate the fire and report, to locate th e f ire and att ack,
to sea rch for and rescue m issing persons.

42
 VIDEOTEL: FlIlE flGHlING AT SfA

Remind the wearer to keep low.

Remind the wearer to check the gauge regularly.

Communication

Communication is vital to command and control at the incident, both in feeding

information to the bridge (which as the centre of communication must be advised of all
relevant information), and to the fire fighters. There are many ways in which this can be
achieved ranging from runners to VHF rad io, and a combination of methods will alm ost
certainly be necessary.

Communication should be:

Purposeful - do not communicate irrelevant information .

Accurate - distingu ish between fact and guesswork.

Specific - do not general ise.

Using VHF

If the re are only a few VHF sets on board, it is not se nsible to risk losing one by giving it t o a
BA wearer in a fire zone . The wearer is already conten ding wi th feeling their w ay and
hand ling hose. So in many cases, the only communication between the officer in ch arge and
th e BA weare rs will consi st of pulls on the lifeline .

How eve r, if at all possible, commu ni cation equipment should be provided t o a BA w eare r.

Voice powered microphon es or bone microphones ca n be attach ed to a transmitter on the

harness, or to a trai ling wire .

Overcoming Communication Problems

Dead" areas where transmission and reception fails may be overcome by using
,i

the "leaky feeder" principle - if a wire is trailed into a compartment it may pick
up transmissions inside and re-radiate them outside.

Background noise can be overcome by putting the microphone against the

throat.

All communications shou ld follow standard proced ure:

Identify the t ransmitting station .

Keep the commun icatio n as brief as possible.

Use standard phrases at dict at ion speed.

Do not interrupt th e speaker.

43
 VIDfOTl; "R' fIGHTING AT SfA

Repeat commun ications back to the sender to avoid m isunderstandings.

Sign off.

Stability

The stability of the ship is principally the responsibility of the bridge team, but there are
procedures that the officer in charge at the incident should bear in mind.

Limiting the amount of water used helps maintain stability.

Try to manage the effects of the water used . For example, by using rolled up carpets to
guide water into spaces from which it can be pumped.

By keeping scu ppers cl ear.

Guarding Against Reignition

Once a fire has been extinguished, do not forget to guard against reignition, particularly in
f ires invo lvin g carbonaceo us materials.

After a fire has been ext inguished, a 24 hour fi re w atch should be kept on the area.
Dam pi ng dow n sh ould be conti nu ed until all si gns of heatin g have cease d. Other areas
should be sea rched f or hidden pockets of f ire - heat f rom th e fire m ay have spread thro ugh
th e steelw ork or along void spaces behind panelling to start smou ldering fires elsewhere.

Designing Fire Drills

The outbreak of fire is not the time to find out whether peopl e know what t o do.

Reg ular fire drill s must be held. They must also be taken seriously and m ust include
everyone on board .

They should also be interesting and meaningful. To ach ieve this, d esig n the exercises to
simulate t he tackl ing of real incidents. And make them as rea listic as possib le.

Some drills should cover training in the use and maintenance of equ ipment. This includes
fire extinguishers, hoses and nozzles, breathing apparatus, protective clothing an d rescue
equipment.

Take the opportunity to operate and test the watertight doors, vents, fire dampers, and
similar devices.

All crew members must be familiar with the various alarm systems and sounds.

They also need to know the location of the telephones from which they can report to the
bridge if portable VHF radios are not available.

Each drill should be designed around a different kind of emergency scenario and in
different locations.

44
 V1DEOTEL "., FIGHnNG AT SfA

Partial drills can also be held to help practise specific aspects of an emergency - for example,
laying out hoses quickly. BA search procedures, casualty handling or incidents involving
dangerous goods.

In some practice incidents, make parts of the ship " out of bounds" to represent fire areas.
The crew must find alternative routes, both to the muster po ints and to the im aginary fire.
In some circumstances, this could affect the availability of equipment making the fire that
much ha rd er to fight .

Whe n ho ldi ng a drill, note the time taken from the soundi ng of th e alarm to the muster ing
at station s and encourage the crew to improve on this each tim e.

Ta ke t he opportunity t o t est co mmun icati ons. Note any radio blind spots and f ind
alternative positions for t ransmittin g. Th is is also a good time to establish other mea ns of
contact between the emergency party and the bridge.

After each drill, hold a revi ew with everyone to discuss how successfu l it was and how it
could be improved . Note that th is is an ISM req uirement.

Summary

Now t hat you ha ve read this sectio n you should know:

The d ifferent part ies involved and th eir responsibi liti es.

The mai n el ements and pri ncipl es of comman d and contro l at the incident.

The importance of f ire drills, and how to make t hem effect ive.

45

--
 VIDEOTfL: FlU "OHflNG Ar SEA

51cr.ON 5: COMMAND AND CONfROL BY fHI MASTER

In this section you will learn:

The role and responsibilities of the Master in the event of a fire.

The factors to consider when determining a strategy for combating a fully developed fire.

The essential procedures which the Master must ensure are undertaken.

The strategi es approp riate to different ki nds of vessel.

W hat must be done if a fire starts when in port.

What needs to be done after a f ire.

Introduction
...............................................................................

No two fires are exactly alike. The location, intensity, cause and effects may all differ. It is
the responsibility of th e Master and his emergency organisati on to assess, with minimum
delay, the best possible action to take w hen an incid ent arises.

II

Basic Principles

The f unction of the bridge (or if the bridge is on fire, some other prearranged place) is to
form the control centre and it is essential for the Master - as the person w ith th e greatest
overview and authority to remain there at all times to receive inf ormation from all parts of
the ship and to give orders.

The primary consideration of the M aste r is th e safety of the crew. This includes checking off
t he muster list as the part ies report in and ensuring that the rad io operator has an exact
position for the emergency message.

Most of the Master's respo nsibil ity should al ready have been met before the outbreak of an
emerg ency. He will have ensured t hat effecti ve emerg ency dri lls have been carried out and
th at each member of the crew knows what to do and w hat is expe cted of th em.

If this is the case, many of the necessary activities will automatically be happe ning within
minutes of an emergency. For example, parties will have taken their musters and reported
in, an initial attack may have been made on the fire, boats will have been swung out (or
other life saving appliances prepared) and backup groups will be searching the boundary
zones for signs of heating .

In essence, the Master forms the absolute centre of the three Cs of command and control:

Co-ordination.

Communication.

Control.

46
 VIOE01CL: FIRE "GHnNG AT SEA

lit lit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Fully Developed Fire

There are three stages in the development of a fire:

1 The incipient stage, when a fire first starts.

2 The developing fire.

3 The fully developed fire.

The inci pient stage is usually ta ckl ed wit h a fire extin gu ish er an d a developing fire will
normally be tackled promptly by the initial attack party. In these cases, the Ma ster wi ll
normally need only to mon it or progress while ant icipating a course of act ion in the event of
the fire rea ch ing fully devel oped status.

In t he case of a fu lly developed fire, the Master is responsible f or overall strategy and tact ics
for combating t he f ire, in clu d ing activities such as bound ary coo lin g, boundary starvation,
and vent ilation contro l.

Th is does not mean you cannot use yo ur initiat ive to cool a hot spot, f or exa mple, but it
does mea n you must communicate that f act t o the bridge.

The pri ma ry objective is generally to contain t he fire . Once contain ed, th e Master needs t o
eva luate the best st rategy fo r t he next stag e. This m ight be one of the foll ow ing:

Keep ing th e f ire contain ed .

Th e use of fi xed inst allations to put it out.

Other means of cont rol .

.. ................................. lit

Factors to Consider when Determining a Strategy

The priori ty of the M aster is always t he saf ety of the crew. The actio n the M aste r decides on,
however, must t ake into account a wide rang e of f actors. These incl ude:

The locati on of the fire .

The weather conditions.

The ship's position and the availability of assistance or rescue.

What is fuelling the fire.

How long it has been burning.

The likelihood of explosion or toxic hazards.

The risk of it spreading .

47

 VlDEOTEt flllE fiGHTING A1 SEA

What resources are available and how they ca n best be deployed.

Whether it can be contained, and if so, between wh ich bou ndaries.

The likely effect of t he strategy on th e stability of th e ship.

What secondary pl an coul d be brought into play in case th e f irst plan fai ls.

................................................................................

Essential Elements in Command and Control

Th e M aster is ultimately responsible for ensu ri ng t hat a number of key things happen .

Mustering

If there are people not accounted for, fo r ensuring that information about their last
whereabouts is sought and demanding search and rescue.

Communicating Strategy

Ensuring that everyone is aware of the overall situation and th e strategy for combating the
fire.

Records

Ensuring information received at the bridge is recorded and monitored.

Manoeuvring

Altering the course and speed of the ship to ensure safe navigation or to assist the
firefighters. For example, by slowing down or steaming downwind to reduce the apparent
wind or altering direction to put the wind on a particular side to give fire fighters a clear
side from which to work. Other options include deliberately running an unstable ship
aground.

The Master must ensure that fire fighters are made aware of any change of wind direction
which will result from manoeuvring.

Stability

Most vessels carry information about the effect of added weight in the cargo spaces, but not
all carry information about the effect of water high up in the accommodation .

The effects of water used in fire fighting are almost impossible to calculate - how much
water has turned to steam or run away? Nevertheless, it is useful to have stored in the fire
wallet a few guidelines as to the likely effect of say 6 cms of water in a compartment.

Control

Ensuring that each party is pursuing and fulfilling its objective: the initial attack; the life
saving appliance preparation; the technical support; pumps started; electrical circuits
isolated; fetching back-up equipment; boundary cooling; ventilation control.

48
 VIDEOTEL. "RE FIGHriNG AT SEA

Don't f orget that a sh ip is a th ree-d imensi ona l object. Whe n planni ng to st op th e spread of
a fire, you must ta ke into account t he areas below - and pa rt icularly above - t he f ire.

The use of acetate overlays provides a th ree-dimensional rep resentati o n of t he risks and
hazards above and below t he locati on of the f ire.

The Master does not, of course have to do these thi ngs himself, but he does need to ensure
that they are done .

... ................................................................. .............

Strategies for Different Ships

One of the most sign ificant f act ors is t he kind of vessel. Be low are som e broad guidelin es
for particular situat ions.

Cargo Fires

W it h general cargo, the basic prin ci ple is that a cargo hatch should never be opened at sea
but should be kept bat te ned dow n and th e fire kept under cont ro l w it h sm ot hering gas
until t he nearest po rt is reac hed. Temperatures shoul d be mon itored and bound ary cooling
emp loyed.

Ha zards im posed by dang erou s goods shoul d be identif ied at the time of loading and
em erge ncy act ion pre-p lanned .

If it is esse nti al t o open a hatch at se a, t his shou ld only be ca rri ed out after exten sive cool ing
and on ly a sma ll open ing should be mad e - enough t o get a BA t eam in . Once the seat of
th e fi re is located, it shoul d be venti lated to remove heat and steam .

Containers

Conta iners below decks are treated in t he same way as general cargo. Contain ers on deck
shou ld be surrounded wit h water sp ray. Additional opt ions include the injection of COL,
Halon substitute or w ater spray.

Tankers

In the case of sp il l f ires, st op load ing or discharging and iso late all va lves. With ta nk f ires,
foam is generally used. Coo l surround in g areas w ith water spray. Hydroca rbon fires prod uce
hig h levels of rad iant heat, so provide water spray protecti on to firefig ht ers.

RaRo
Use drencher systems below decks and water fog applicators to finish off fire in or under a
vehicle . Some vessels are equipped with C02flooding systems.

LPG or LNG

Close all valves. Do not attempt to extinguish the fire unless there is sufficient wind to
dissipate gas and all possible sources of ignition have been eliminated.

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 VIDEOTEl.: ""E ' ,GHTlNG AT SEA

..................................................................... ..........
,..
Incidents in Port

In incidents in port, the Shore Fire Brigade will normally take over responsibility for
firefighting. Nevertheless, the ship's emergency organisation handles the vital early stages
and liaises with the Fire Brigade and the harbour authorities.

The Fire Wallet

Because the shore services do not know the ship, it is a requirement that each ship makes a
fire wallet available. This contains a general arrangement plan of the ship showing full
details of the layout; a safety equipment plan giving details of the hydrants, the fixed and
po rtable fire fighting equipment; a cargo stowage plan in cargo ships, and stab il ity
information.

One copy of the wallet must be kept on the Bridge and a second at the point of entry to the
ship in a waterproof container.

If a fire breaks out in po rt, the emergency services sho ul d be called immediately, no matter
how sma ll the out break.

In Port Contingencies

Even when in port, there mu st be a fire f ighting team o nboard at all times, no matter how
smal l. The brid ge or so me oth er pre-arranged control centre - such as a cargo co ntrol ro om
sh o uld be permanent ly mann ed.

An effective record of w ho is on board and who is ashore must be kept, so that a proper
muster can be taken in the event of a f ire. Non crew-members w ill be mustered by their
person in charge.

On arriva l, the senior fi re off icer wi ll immediately need as much relevant inf ormation as
poss ib le about th e fire and any mi ssing persons. The Master should be read y to provide t he
following inform ation:

Number of peopl e report ed missing.

The location of the fire.

What is burning and for how long.

Means of access.

Cargo.

Ventilation arrangements.

Stability.

What has already been done.

Th e cond ition of the ship 's pumps.

What fixed install ations are available.

Information about fire zones?

Explosive, f lammab le or toxic materials near the f ire.

In mo st ports, advice on matters relating to fire and f ire prevention is ava ilab le from th e
Ch ief Fire Officer or Firemaster.

50
 V/DEOTfL: 'IRE "'GHFING AT SEA

After
.............................................................................. .

a Fire

After a fire, the Master must report any casualties and arrange for their treatment.

The Master should also hold an immediate inquiry involving all relevant personnel such as
the leaders of the respective parties, the heads of departments and the safety officer. If the
fire occurred in port, this should also involve any outside agencies involved such as the fire
brigade and the port authority.

The review should examine and document:

The cause of the fire and whether it could have been prevented.

How rapidly it was reported.

How it was tackled.

How satisfactory the fire fighting equipment was.

The effectiveness of communications.

The investigat io n shou ld focus not only on what went wrong, but on what w ent wel l so
that successful pra ctices can be repeated . The inquiry should also aim to focus on p reventi ng
future incidents and handling them better, rather than see ki ng out som eone t o b lame.
However, if the blame clearly falls in a particular direction, this must be assessed and
reported to th e authorities.

Summary
The programme wh ich t his sectio n supports offers an exampl e of a particular eve nt to help
see how t hese principles work in acti on .

Having read th is section, you sho uld now:

Understa nd the ro le and responsibilities of the Master i n the event of a fire.

Know the fact ors to consider w hen determini ng a strategy for combating a fully
deve loped fire.

Kn ow th e essentia l procedures w hich the M aster must ensure are und ertaken .

Have learn ed the stra tegi es approp riate t o d ifferent kinds of vesse l.

Know what is expected of you if a fire sta rts w hen in port.

Know w hat to do after a fire.

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 VIDEOTEL: FIR' flGHfING Af $fA

SICI'ION 6: MACHINERY SPACE "RES

An y fire on board poses a threat to the safety of the ship and its crew. But by far the most
dangerous is a machinery space fire. It can cripple a vessel, deprive it of power and le ave th e
shi p at the mercy of the elements.

On completing this section you will :

Understand the da ngers of machinery spaces.

Understand the causes of machinery space fires.

Und ersta nd th e bu ilt-in safety measures.

Lea rn how fires ca n be prevented .

Know how to tackl e them .

M ach inery space f ires are t he bi ggest, single, rea son f o r t he tota l loss of vessels and th eir
cargo. Engin e room f ires alone account f or about half of all on-board fires. It is vi t al to
tackle them quick ly and effectively.

.............................................................................. .

The Dangers of Machinery Spaces

Machin ery spaces contain all the elements t o start and susta in a f ire - heat, air, and fuel.

In particular, th ere is usu ally an abundance of fu el, parti cu la rl y in the en gi ne room - for
example, fuel oil, lubricati ng oi l and hydrau lic oi l.

Because the engin e room is at the heart of a vessel , a f ire w ill sprea d rap idly to other
parts of the ship.

Fire fi ghting co nd itions are d ifficult. Access is confin ed and t emperatures can be very
high. Using water in t hese cond itions creates a great deal of stea m an d high levels of
humi d it y. BA activity in these conditions must be stri ct ly co nt rolled t o avoid the ef f ects of
heat and humi dity.

If a fire occu rs in the engine room, temperatures can quickly rise to more tha n 600 0
Celsius - enough to melt aluminium, cause plastic switches to burst int o flame, and ignite
paint. Within minutes, the fire may turn into a raging inferno.

From the sounding of the alarm, you may have only a few minutes before the fire is
burning perilously out of control .

.............................................................................

The Causes of Machinery Space Fires

It is the job of machinery spaces - the engine room, generator, pump houses and so forth
to convert fuel into mechanical and electrical energy.

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 VTOfOTEt: flU FlOH'rINO A'1 SEA

Part of t his process involves pumping oil under pressure. Around two-thirds of all eng ine
ro om fires are caused by high pressure oil line fractures. Because the o il is under pressure, it
ca n ta ke just minutes for the fire to get completely out of co ntro l.

Machinery space fires typically fall into one of five categories:

Uptake, funnel, economiser, and superheater fires.

Oi l m ist and crankcase expl os ions.

Scaven ger fires.

Electri ca l probl ems.

Sw itchboard fi res invol ving high vol t age.

Though each results from a combination of d iffe rent circumstances, mach inery space fires
don 't just happen . They occur because heat, air and fue l combine to create combustion.

In t he engi ne room, th ere are man y sources of ignition. As w ell as obv io us ones such as
sparks from ang le grinders and we lding equ ipment, or damaged el ectrical w iring that can
overheat and short-circu it, there are less obvious ones: such as d ischarge of static producing
sparks and the hot, dry atmosphere of the eng ine room is ideal for the build up of static
charges. If rubber or co mposition boots are w orn you may be electrically insulated from the
ship; if yo u then hand le flammable liquid s such as paint w ithout earthing yourself (touch
the ship) t here may be spark ignition . Pouring som e liquids generates static.

Engines, pumps, and other machinery also generate heat. Hot surfaces can vaporise
flammable liquids, changing a safe product into an unstable, combustible, vapour.

Some chemicals used in engine rooms are oxidising agents and can start fires in contact with
organic materia l such as rags.

...................... '" .........................................................

Built in Safety Measures

Because of these hazards, ship 's architects build in many safety features aimed at:

Reducing the likel ihood of fires starting by installing flame-proof fittings.

Preventing their spread through vent closures.

Providing effective methods to contain and extinguish the fire.

Common safety measures include running electrical cables through ducts to shield them
from heat; using splash panels and double-skinned pipes to protect hot surfaces from spilt
oil; using insulation to slow the spread of fire and provide additional protection for
accommodation and cargo spaces; fireproof doors; airtight hatches; individually controlled
ventilation dampers to seal off the machinery space and deprive the fire of air.

If all else fails, there is the fixed installation system which can control a fire within a very
short space of t ime.

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 VIDEOTEL: "RI "GHTING AT SIA

Fixed installations vary from ship to ship. Some vessels have carbon dioxide (C02) which
smothers a fire by depriving it of oxygen . Foam fixed installations work in a similar way. For
more information on fixed installations, see Section 3, Basic Fire fighting .

An additional backup system for specific areas is sometimes built in . These high fog systems
deliver microscopic droplets of water that disperse heat by rapidly cooling the fire. They also
help to smother it and inhibit flames.

These safety feat ures are provided to protect the vessel and its crew, but their
effectiveness depends on reg ular inspection, maintenance, and testing.

............................................................................. .

Fire Prevention in Machinery Spaces

Housekeeping

Li ke all f ire prevention, that in machinery spaces is primarily about good housekeeping .

Never leave fla mmab le materials near a heat source. Paint, thi nners, varnishes, turp entine
and cl ean ing fluids all present serious hazards and should never be stored in the eng ine
room .

Any accumul at ion of oil-based substances - in the b ilge, for instance - is potentially
dangerous. Make sure th ey are ke pt cle an.

This also app lies to o ily rags, damp cotton waste, and metal swarf wh ich in the r ight
cond itions can spo ntaneous ly ignite. Cl ear up metal shavings es peci ally if coated in oil. In
a fire, th ey w ill bu rn with immense ferocity.

Filters must be properly maintained to prevent oil and grease collectin g in com pressed air
lin es.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance is as essential in a machinery room as anywhere else, but maintenance

presents particular fire hazards in machinery spaces. Removing protective laggin g exposes
hot surfaces which become a potential source of ignition . If left unattended, even for a few
minutes, a fire could result .

Temporary repairs using non-standard components - or those that do not meet the
specification - may produce the conditions needed for a fire, even using an incorrect
lubricant can lead to overheating.

It is especially important to follow the service instructions when changing oil filters as these
operate under pressure. If they are not properly isolated, then you risk oil spraying out over
a wide area, which could result in a sudden flash fire .

Ensure that you have the proper tools and authorisation before starting any kind of job. For
example, hot work will require a hot work permit or you may need to arrange for oil or
electrical feeds to be isolated before you start work.

54
 VIDEora FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Following laid down working practices will minimise these hazards and keep the vessel and
her crew safe.

Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Equipment Maintenance

Promptly repair and replace leaking gaskets, damaged protective covers, and frayed
electrical cables.

Check the operation of vent closures and fire doors, even automatic ones.

Test the fire alarms and replace any faulty components.

Inspect fire extinguishers at the intervals recommended by the manufacturer, and always
recharge them after use.

The fixed installation should also be regularly checked.

Regular, realistic fire drills involving machinery spaces are essential. Machinery space fires
can generate a lot of dense smoke so practice exercises should include search and rescue for
injured personnel in these conditions .

......................................................, ........................ .

Firefighting in Machinery Spaces

Modern ships equipped with automatic fire sensors can detect a developing fire in its
earliest stages. Even if you cannot see smoke or flames, assume that the alarm is gen u ine; it
may be the result of a tiny leak in a pressurised fuel line.

The rules in a machinery space are the same as elsewhere .

F IND A FIRE

I SOlATE IT

R EPORT IT

XTINGUISH IT OR ESCAPE

If the fire is small and there is not too much smoke, tackle the fire with a suitable
extinguisher. In machinery spaces, there is high voltage electricity so try to isolate the
circuits. For this type of fire, use dry powder or C02.

Isolation is crucial in machinery space fires: isolate oil and diesel valves and switch off the
pumps that feed them. Use the panel by the emergency generator or in the alleyway.

Fire fighting conditions are difficult in such spaces. Access is confined and temperatures can
be very high. Using water in these conditions creates a great deal of steam and high levels
of humidity. BA activity in these conditions must be strictly controlled to avoid the effects of
heat and humidity.

Hydrocarbon fires rapidly produce high temperatures and high levels of radiated heat from
the flames. Entry must be made from as low down as possible and partial ventilation
maintained to remove heat and humidity as long as people remain inside.

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 VIDEOTEL FIR' FIGHTING AT SEA

Evacuate unn ecessary crew members f rom th e machinery space. From t he eng ine roo m, th is
will often in volve using the escape trunki ng. Use th e protected escape rou te rather than th e
norma l vertical routes. Smoke and heat rise creati ng greater dangers t he h igher you go.
Even so, wear 10 minute escape hoods f or extra protecti on, wh ere provided.

Once th e engine room personnel are safe, cl ose off en gin e room ventil at ion f an s th at may
feed th e fire w ith air.

It is essential that everyone goes t o th eir muster stat ion. The f irst t ask of the Off icer in
Charg e is to carry out a roll call. If someone is missing, injured, or trapped, a search an d
rescue party, eq uipped with breath ing apparat us, must go in to f ind them.

Don't forget t hat a sh ip is a three-d im ension al object. When pl anni ng to stop t he spread of
a f ire, you must t ake into account t he areas below - and particu larly above - th e fi re, as w ell
as all fo ur sides.

The use of tranparent overlays to provi de a three-d im ensio nal representat ion of the risks
and hazards above and below the fire zon e.

Using t he Fixed Installat ion

Fire f ighting teams have only a li mited tim e in w h ich to gain control over the fire in a
mach inery space.

If they ca nnot effectively extinguish it, th e Master or the Officer in Charge - in consultation
with the Ch ief En gineer - wi ll almost ce rta inly need to make t he decision to use the f ixed
instal lation.

This decision cannot be taken lightl y. A number of positive and negative factors need t o be
taken into account.

On the negative side:

Once the engine room has been flooded with a f ixed installation, the vessel will probably
be w ithout power for some time . Without the engine, the vessel is not "under command "
and can pose a risk to the crew and other vessels.

If the f ixed system is a on e-shot " system such as foam or C02 there is no protection unti l
II

it can be ref illed . If there is only one chance to use the f ixed insta llation, you must be
certa in that it wi ll have the very best chance to succeed.

W ith systems such as C02 or Halon, the engine room has to be evacuated and complete ly
battened down before use. If there are people unaccounted f or in the muster, this
presents a particular problem.

On the positive side:

The timel y use of the fixed insta llation will, in nearly every case, extingu ish a mach inery
space f ire and preserve the ship.

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 VIDfOTEL: FIRE FIGHTING AT SU

The soon er the fi xed insta ll at ions are used, th e sooner th e space w ill be cool enough to
re-occupy and t he less damage the machinery will have suffered. De laying the use of the
f ixed installation allows th e f ire to generat e more heat.

Th e f ire mu st be brought under contro l before it spreads into other spaces such as
acco mmodat ion or cargo areas, as once t he eng ine room is out of act ion, on ly the
emerge ncy f ire pump wi ll be available.

Before using the fixed installation :

Everyone must be out, and accounted for.

Hatches, fireproof doors, engine room ve ntilat or and funnel f laps must be closed. Know
you r ship: on some ships vent f laps close automatically wh en fans are shut down.

Once the mach inery space is sealed, the Master can order the re lease of the f ixed
installation.

Th is w ill have an immediat e effect, but it is essential that the f ixed installation is given as
long as a fe w days to finish it s work. A lthough the fire has been extinguished, time must be
all ow ed for the space to cool down so there is no chance of rei gnition.

When pumping C02 into smaller, sealed areas, it is important not to over-pressurise the area .
Th e build-up of pressure could resu lt in an explosion.

Summary
All fi res are dangerous. But, a machin ery space fire is potentially, the most serio us of all. Th e
presence of fuel , heat and air provi des all the ingred ients need ed for a fire to start. Once it
has started, temperatures can rise enormou sly in a short space of t ime.

Good working pract ices minimise the risks.

Frequent and realist ic fire dri ll s keep everyone prepared.

Fire safety requires that all mariners stay observant and stick to company procedures.

If a machinery space fire does break out, then it must be tackled quickly.

If the initial attack team cannot get the fire under control within a reasonable t ime, they
should withd raw so that the fixed installation can be used - the best chance to smother
the fire and keep the ship safe .

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 VlDEOTfl.: flRf fIGHTING AT SfA

SEcrlON 7: NO rES FOR rRAINED

.............. " .................................................................

Essential Points on the Series

1. Although the five programmes in this series are complementary, they differ in focus and
technique. Ensure that you are familiar with the content before using them.

2. This book is not a substitute for watching the programmes, nor vice versa. They are
intended to be used together. Generally speaking, the content of the book is more detailed,
but the programmes reinforce the key messages in a stronger way.

3. Much of the background information that people need to understand is quite technical,
involving physics and chemistry. Expect people to need trainer support in these areas.

4. M uch of that background information is contained in Section 1: The Essential Basics.

Th ere is no prog ra mme specifically on this subject, but this basic k nowledge must be
covered by all st udents in order for them to get full benefit fro m the ot her prog rammes.

5. Th e vid eos and su ppo rt material are ai med at d ifferent levels. The earlie r secti ons in t h is
manu al - Essential Basics, Fire Prevention and Basic Fire fighting - are desi g ned t o be used by
all person nel . Command and Control at t he Incident is aim ed at junior officers . Co mmand
and Con t ro l by t he M ast er is ai med at se nior office rs. M achin ery Space Fires is ai med at
perso nnel w ho w ork in such areas and th e f ire part ies w ho will enter t hem .

Getting the Best from the Programmes
Training Room Context

You are unlikely to find the videos or this booklet su itab le for self-study. They are best used
in th e context of a group trai ning sessi on wh ich can be tai lored to the specific needs of t he
peop le be ing trained , and th e circumstances and nature of th e particular vessel on w hich
they serve.

Aim for Practical Exercises and Participation

The content of these programmes is such that peopl e are unl ikel y to absorb much
information t hrough a "lecture" . We recommend that you employ as much parti cipation
from th e group as possibl e. Bef ore show ing the programmes or exp loring parti cular areas,
get th em t o share with you - and each other - what they already know .

Use team-base d activities to encourage them to share what they know with each other by
setting tasks. For examp le, creating a list of different types of extingu isher and the ir uses, or
gett ing them to leave the training area to identify the location of equ ipment in particu lar
parts of the ship.

Encourag e peop le t o share th eir own personal expe riences of rea l fires if anyone has the m.
For added impact, accumulate your own stock of real stories about f ires at sea to add impact
to the learning.

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 VIDEOTfL: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Example Activity 1: Real Life Experiences

Ask if anyone has been involved in a fire incident. If they have, get them to tell the story in
their own words. Draw out how what it felt like to be involved or to witness it; who did
what, what happened, how long it took. Encourage them to be dramatic. Don't test them.
Make mental notes of elements of the story that are relevant to the content of the training,
and refer back to them . Get stories from everyone who has been involved. If no-one has,
make one up!

Examp le Activity 2: Use the Ship

The programmes in this series are necessarily very general. Get participants to visit different
parts of the ship to identify risks and equipment specific to their vessel.

No Substitute for Fire Drills and Practices

Nothing can adequatel y prepare people for the shock of having to face a real fire, but fire
drills and simulation s are the closest we can get. Try to transfer learn ing from d ri lls to the
trai ning area, for exam ple by:

Using the outcomes from post-practice reviews as pa rt of you r courses .

Getting delegates to draw on their fire drill experiences as part of t he course .

Preparation

Familiarise yourself thoroughl y with the content of the video, and th e re levant support
materi al, bef ore using th em . If your ship does not have a dedi cated traini ng room, choose
the space to show the videos careful ly. Ma ke sure it is comfortabl e for th e size of th e group
and t hat everyone can see and hear. Consider reflected light. excessive ba ckground noise or
distu rbance.

Assess your Audience

Get a sense of what th ey already know. Covering old ground w ill bore them and they wi ll
not be ready to rece ive new information when you get to it.

Be rea li stic about w hat you are likely to ach ieve w ith the group - are they likely to need an
understand ing of physics, or do you simpl y need them to have a greater awareness of the
need for bette r housekeeping? Tai lor your material accordingly.

Motivation

Encourag e people to motivate the ir own learning by getting them to talk through the
consequences of be ing unprepared f or a fire.

Reinforcement

Messages get through to people best when th ey are reinforced in a number of different
ways . Telling people the same thing in the same way t hree times does not count as
reinforcement. Aim to use people's own exper iences, the video, the support mat erial and
yo ur own input to put the same points across in different ways.

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 VlDEOTEL: flR~ ',GHTING Af SIA

Discussion and Debate

It is a sad fact th at trainers are less interesting to listen to than colleagues . Encourage
discussion, but st eer it carefully to keep it relevant. Stimulate debate: if people fin d
themselves disagreeing with a colleague, they have to th ink in order to put their point across.

Explo it Competitiveness

Split t he g rou p into teams of people w ho work in th e sam e area and get t hem t o aud it the
f ire haza rds in each others' work areas. It provides an extra ed ge to t heir enthusi asm.

Build in Post-Course Work

Don 't let peopl e throw their notes in t he bin on th e way out of t he t rain ing area. Assign a
post-course project such as cond ucti ng a hazard assessment on thei r ow n pl ace of w ork and
get t hem to report back at a review day. Explore not only w hat they fou nd, but what they
have put right as a result.

Create act ivities appropriate to the video. For exampl e, a good post-course project from the
Command an d Cont rol titles wou ld be to get peop le to desi gn a strategy f or a particular f ire
scenario.

Post-course activiti es are best assign ed to sm all teams (2-4 peopl e), rather tha n to
individuals.

Testing

Testi ng deleg ates is a co ntentious issue, but without providing pre- an d post-course tests,
yo u don 't know how effective your trai ning has been. We stro ngly recom mend that you t est
d elegates bot h before and after the training. People will not fee l intimidated by th is if you
are clear that the purpose is to test the tra in ing, not the in dividual. If you are serious about
th is ai m, you will have no pro blem with maki ng the tests anonymous. Of course, it is
perfectly legitimate to t est the delegates too to assess th eir com petence and understa nding,
but you will have to handle the emotional issues which inevitably arise.

60

 -- .

VIDEOTEL "RE "GHlING AT Sill

SEcrlON 8: SUMMARY OF PROGRAMMES

To help you use the programmes effectively, a summary of each is provided bel ow.

When watchi ng th e videos before use, make a note of your VCR's counte r number at poi nts
of pa rticular interest so that you ca n easily find them agai n if you w ish to replay sectio ns
duri ng t he t rai nin g sessi on .

III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fire Prevention

The Fire Triangl e

Exampl es of heat and sou rces of ignition

Exam ples of fuel

A ir

Solids and liquids do not burn, their vapours do

Fl ashpoi nt s and self-ignition t em perat ures

Th e importance of good housekeeping, including the galley,

electri cal hazards, engine roo m hazards

Important considerations when undertaking hot w ork

Cargo considerations

Cigarette smoking

Working cargo and tank clea ning in port

....................................................................................

Basic Fire Fighting

Fire triangle

Fuel starvation, cooling, smothering

" FIRE " acronym: 'F' sta nds for Find it. 'I' stands fo r Isolate it. 'R' stands for Report it.
'E' stands for Extinguish it if it is small enough for one portable extinguisher. If not, then
'E' stands for Escape.

About fire extinguishers, suitability and use of: water, foam, A-triple- F', C02, dry powder,

larger powder extinguishers, halon installations, Hi -Fog systems, C02 installations

Operat ing f ixed installations

Water and pumps

61
 VIDEOID. FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Care and use of hoses and nozzles

Moving through fire and smoke

Use of Breathing Apparatus

The importance of alarms, mustering, equipment knowledge, fire drills .

,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I

Command and Control at the Incident

The three C's of naval strategy: Co-ordination, Communication and Control .

The organisation of fire fighting on board : the role of the Master; attack, first aid, engine
room and support parties

Party member selection

Training parties: what they need to know

Mustering and roll calls

Role of the Support Party

The Engine Room Party

The First Aid Party

The importance of drills and mock emergencies

Example of a real incident

Command and Control by the Master

The three stages in the development of a fire

Elements of the Master's strategy: containment and attack

The priority is always the safety of the crew.

EXAMPLE INCIDENT:

A fire has broken out in the stores area of the ship .

The two crew members who sounded the alarm tackle the fire with one of the hose reels

The Master stops the vent fans and closes the fire dampers by remote control.

Sometimes the fire will jump a deck and re-appear a few decks higher up.

The Master instructs that the engines are put on "standby". This keeps power available for

any change of speed or position in relation to the wind.

The engine room inform s the Master that the fire pumps are working and up to full

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 VIDEOTEL: fiRE FIGHTING AT SEA

pressure. And that the emergency pump and generator have been started too.

A log of reports, the time, and the action taken must be kept.

Reports come to the Bridge from all mustering groups and the Master learns that two

people are missing . He gives that information to the on-scene commander.

At the scene of the fire the men who sounded the alarm fight the fire with a hose reel.

In the Chart Room, the Master considers the course of the ship and the relative wind.

The Master contacts ships in the vicinity and the coast radio stations. If necessary, he will

send out an urgency signal or a distress call.

At the fire, the water from the small hose is having little effect.

The smoke and steam force the two seamen to withdraw.

Outside, the fire fightin g party is entering with hose and lifelines.

Once the fire is covered by hoses, t he Master and the attack party leader discuss what

selective ve ntil ation may be ca rried out

The fire fi ghters come to the fire zone and the two men wh o have come out leave th e

scene. The f ire figh t ers ent er t he blaz ing area, hoses t urned to spray.

Depe nd ing on the ve ssel, t he M aster orders the Support Party, standing by the boats, to

lower them to th e embarkati on leve l and prepare th em in readiness to abandon sh ip.

Extra blankets and water are brought up. The plug is fixed in position and the en gine

checked. SARTs, EPERM EPIRB and portab le VHF sets are placed in on e of the boats.

Th e Bridg e is prot ected by fi reproof doors. Neverth eless, the Master must always have an

alternative comman d post if it becomes necessary to evacuate the Bridge.

Th e f ire fi ghters tackl e the f ire and it is now respondin g to their effort s. However, it is not

yet under control.

The Maste r advises the Lead er of th e Em erg ency Party t o check various areas t o prevent

possib le spread of f ire. Other t ea ms beg in t o bound ary coo l and bound ary starve the fi re by

rem ovi ng f lammabl e material f rom adjacent bulkheads.

The Master tells the eng ine room to check f or hot spots and to prepare to coo l.

En gine room personn el have an escape route through the shaft tunnel in a cargo ship, or

steering f lat in som e ships, so that they can reach open deck . Because heat rises, a

hori zon tal esca pe route away from th e fire zone is always preferred.

Where large amounts of water can accum ul ate in a passeng er ship or ca rgo sh ip, stability

becomes a major consideration .

The free surface effect of accumulated water and the additional weight at various levels can

seriously affect stability.

Surplus water shoul d be directed as low in the ship as possible for pumping out.

At the fire, the blaze is under control. The fire fighters damp it down thoroughly.

When the fire is extinguished, the Leader of the Emergency Party reports this fact to the

Bridge.

The Master informs shipping, coastal radio stations, the owners and the ship managers

accordingly.

At the fire area, a continuous watch will be kept against re-ignition and the fire fighters will

go in and remove any smou ldering mate rial.

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 VIDfOTEL: FIRE FIGHTING Ar 514

Had there been any casualties, the Master would report this and make the necessary
arrangements to evacuate the injured crewmen from the sh ip .
If this incident occurred whilst the ship was in port, it is the Shore Fire Brigade that would
normally take over the responsibility of fire fighting. Even so, the shi p 's emergency
organisation handles the vital early stages, liaising with the Fire Brigade an d harbour
authorities.
To summon this assistance, it is essential to k now the necessary procedures. Th is information
is given to the Master, on arrival, and must be clearly displayed on the ship .
It is a requirement to have th e fire wallet ava ilable. The fire wallet conta ins a g eneral
arrangement plan of the shi p, showing full details of t he layout; a safety equipment pl an
giving detai ls of the hydra nts, the fixed and porta ble fire fighting equi pment; a ca rgo stowage
plan in cargo shi ps and also stability informat ion. A copy of the wa ll et shoul d be kept on the
Bridge. It is a requirement that it is also avail ab le at th e point of entry to the shi p.
The port Fire Brigad e will need to know if anyone is m issing. Th us, it is important t o have a
ro ll ca ll and keep an accu rat e record of w ho is aboard and who is ashore. The Fire Bri gad e
wi ll also expect support from th e M aster an d ship 's staff.

Summary: Ti me is short whe n a f ire starts. The situation d emands q uick and decisi ve act ion.
Th e fou ndations f or such action lie in efficient organisat ion. Th at requires mutual
conf idence, w hich is the resu lt of thorough training. In a crit ica l situat ion each party must
know what t o do and know th at th ey can depend on others for thei r own saf ety. Above all,
t hey m ust be confident that t hey can re ly on th e orders they receive.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II

Machinery Space Fires

Machinery space fi res are the biggest, single, reason for th e tota l loss of ships and their
cargo.

The hazards and risks of mach inery spaces

Safety f eatures such as flame proof fittings, f ixed installations, sp lash pane ls, doubl e skinned
pipes, bulkhead insu lation, f ireproof doors, ventilation dampers

The importance of regu lar inspecti on, maintenance, and testing.

Five t ypes of machinery space fires: oil mist and crankcase explosions; uptake. f unnel.
econom iser, and superheater f ires; scavenge fires; electrical problems; switchboard f ires
involving high current.

Common causes of engine room fi res; the risks of repairs

The importance of following laid down w orking practices

The importance of good housekeeping

Testing fire alarms

Fire extinguisher inspections

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 VIDEOTEL: FIRE FIGHrlNG AT SEA

The importance of regular, realistic, fire drills

The F.I.R .E acronym: Find it, Isolate it, Report it, and Extinguish it.

Shutting off the flow of fuel to the fire.

Evacuation

Mustering and roll calls

The importance of providing accurate, and up to date, information

The "one shot and out" approach

The decision to use the fixed installation

Summary: good working practices minimise the risks; frequent and realistic fire drills keep
everyone prepared; fire safety requires that all mariners stay observant and stick to company
procedures.

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 VlDfOTEL: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

SEcr.ON 9: GLOSSARY 0' rERMS

In learning about fire prevention and fire fighting you will come across many technical
terms . Here is a quick guide to some of those used in this book.

Auto-ignition temperature: The lowest temperature at which a substance will ignite without

applying an ignition source.

Bight, on the: A method of rolling a hose whereby both ends are positioned together at the
outside of the roll. Also known as a "Dutch roll".

Boundary cooling: Cooling the area around a fire to stop it spreading further.

Boundary starvation: Removal of the potential fuel from around the fire to stop it
spreading.

Calorific value: The total quantity of heat a material gives out when it burns.

carbonaceous fuels: Solid fuels such as wood and paper that leave char.

Cooling: Fighting a fire by cooling the fuel to below its ignition temperature.

Conduction: Direct heat transfer through a material. Solids, liquids and gases can all conduct

heat.

Convection: Hot liquids or gases rise, "carrying" the heat from one area to another.

Dutch roll: A method of rolling a hose whereby both ends are positioned together at the

outside of the roll. Also known as rolling "on the bight" .

Fire load: The total amount of heat energy which could be released within a compartment if

all the potential fuel was burned.

Flame inhibition: Breaking down of the molecular chain reaction of combustion in a flame.

This is done with dry powder or water fog by absorbing the energy and reactive particles in
the flame . Halons do the same thing, but chemically.

Flashpoint: The lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapour for there to

be a flash if a spark or a flame is introduced.

Fuel starvation: Fighting a fire by removing the fuel it needs to burn.

lFL: Lower Flammable Limit, see Range of Flammability.

Radiation: Heat energy transferred as energy particles.

Range of flammability: The range of flammability of a liquid defines the limits of the

percentage mixture with air between which the mixture is flammable . Above the Upper
Flammable Limit (UFL) the mixture is said to be too rich to burn. Below the Lower
Flammable Limit (LFL) the mixture is said to be too lean to burn.

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 VlDEOTfl: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

SIT: Spontaneous Ignition Temperature. The temperature at which a material will

spontaneously ignite.

Smouldering: If carbonaceous material is burning with flames, it means that the material
has been broken down into a vapour. Solids can burn without production of a flame, and
this process is called smouldering .

Smothering: Fighting a fire by starving it of the air it needs to burn.

Specific surface: The ratio between the surface area of a material and its volume .

UFL: Upper Flammable Limit, see Range of Flammability.

Vapour density: Different liquids produce vapours of different densities. If a liquid has a
vapour density greater than 1, its vapour is heavier than air, and will flow along a deck and
over the sides of a ship, or down staircases. If the vapour density is less than 1, the vapour
will tend to disperse upwards.

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 VIDEOTfL: FlU FIGHTING AT SU

SEcr.oN 10: ASSESSMENr QUESr.ON5 AND N5W.5

Questions

Essential Basics

Possible points Score

1. What three things are necessary for a fire to start or 3

burn?
1.
2.
3.

2. Name the three methods by which heat travels from

one area to another: 3
1.
2.
3.

3. When a liquid is said to be burning it is not the liquid

that is actually burning. True or false? 1

4. Name three things that could happen if a source of

ignition is applied to a solid? 3
1.
2. 1
3.

5. Which is more hazardous:

1. a high flash point liquid? 1
2. a low flash point liquid?

6. Which of the following has the highest flash point?

A. Hydrogen
B. Petrol
C. Paraffin 1
D. Coal

7. A vapour presents the greatest fire hazard:

A. When above its UFL
B. When below its LFL 1
C. When between the flammable limits

8. The vapour of a liquid with a higher vapour density

than 1 will tend to travel:
A. Downwards
B. Upwards

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 VIDEOTEL: fiRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Basic Fire Prevention

Possible points Score

1. 200 kg of wood shavings prevent a greater fire 1

hazard than a 200 kg wooden table because:

A. They have a greater fire load
B. They have a greater surface/bulk ratio

2. Oily rags can self-com bu st. True or False? 1

3. Name five ways of im prov ing electrical safety: 5

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

4. Why is the risk of a fi re in the engine roo m 1

potentially so great?
A. It is hot
B. It conta ins lots of f uel
C. It contains, heat, ai r and fuel

5. List four precautions which should be t aken w hen 4

undert aking hot w ork:
1.
2.
3.
4.

6. What f actor can lower the f lashpoint of an oil? 1

A. Salt air
B. Magnetic f ields
C. Contamination by other materials

7. Metal shavings and swarf are part icularly hazardous 1

because:
A. Th ey can self-heat
B. They are magnetic
C. They st ick to your shoes

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 VIDEOTEL: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Basic Fire Fighting

Possible points Score

1. What do the letters in the mnemonic "F.I.R.E." stand 4

for?

2. Which method of attacking a fire - cooling, fuel 3

starvation or, smothering does each of the following

use:

A. A fire blanket
B. Water spray
C. Closing valves

3. Water extinguishers should not be used on electrical 1

fires. True or false?

4. W hich is the safe way to use a foam extinguisher on 1

a flammable liquid fire?
A. Direct the foam at the surface of the liquid
B. Spray into th e air, allowing the foam to f all onto

the blaze

5. C02 exting uishe rs can be used on electrical fires . True 1

or fal se?

6. What method of f ighti ng a f ire does a dry powder 1

exti nguish er use?

A. Cooling
B. Fl ame inh ibition
C. Smother ing

7. Which is the only extingu ish er safe to use on metallic 1

f ires?
A. Water
B. Foam
C. CO2
D. Ge neral dry powder
E. Special dry powder extin guishers

8. A fixed C02 installation may be used when personnel 1

are in the area. True or False?

9. Which hose-rolling method is easier to unroll in 1

confined areas?

A. The normal roll

B. On the bight/Dutch roll

10. What is the optimum angle to use an adjustable 1

nozzle at?

A. 10

B.60

C. 90

11. When moving through a fire, you should turn the 1

hose off from time to time. True or false?

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 VIDEOTEL FIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Command and Control at the Incident

Possible points Score

1. What is the first duty of each fire party? 1

2. Which fire party will generally be called on to 1 ..

perform boundary cooling or boundary starvation?
A. The support party
B. The First Aid party

3. The attack party should not begin firefighting 1

without instruction from the bridge. True or false?

4. When fighting a fire, team members should 1

approach the fire from opposite directions. True or
false?

5. The advantage of airhose and bellows sets over BA 1

sets is that:
A. They have better manoeuvrability
B. They offer unlimited duration

Command and Control by the Master.

Are the following statements True or False?

1. This section is only of interest to the ship's Master. TtF

2. In a fire no one should take any action except under

the direct orders of the Master. TtF

3. The Master should never leave the bridge or other

pre-arranged control centre if the bridge is on fire . TtF

4. The Master must be kept fully informed of any actions

taken or conditions observed during firefighting . TtF

5. The first consideration of the Master is safety of the crew. TtF

6. The first thing the Master would do in a fire is to order

a muster of the crew. TtF

7. The communication between the bridge and the

officer in charge at the fire must be two way. TtF

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 VIOEOTEL: F'RE F'GH"'NG A., SEA

Choose the most correct answer:

1 Wh ich is the best lifeboat?

A. totally enclosed .
B. self-righting.
C. the ship.

2. With a ship on fire in port, listed heavily against the quay, which is the best action?
A. add water to a tank on the high side.
B. fill tanks low down on the low side.
C. pump water from a tank on the low side.

3. When a container is on fire, which is the best action?

A. make a small hole in the container and flood it with water or C02 .
B. open it and pull out the burning material damping it down.
C. boundary cool container and leave it closed .

4 Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

A. the first thing to do when there is a fire is to shut off all ventilation.
B. fixed installations should be used sooner rather than later.
C. boundary cooling and boundary starvation must be carried out on all six sides of
the fire.

Match the LIST 1 statements with the actions given in LIST 2

LIST 1 LIST 2
, . A developing fire will normally be A. ... to initiate search and rescue.
controlled by...

2. The primary objective in a fully B. ...the va lue of the cargo.

developed fire is...

3. If people are missing from the muster C. ... t he pro mpt action of the initial attack
a priority becomes... pa rty.

4. The likel ih ood of expl osi on or release D. ...weather con ditions and ava il ab ilty of
of toxic gases becom es... assist an ce and rescue.

5. After an alarm on e of t he first actions E. ... put maximu m effort into

of t he bridge t eam w ould be to ... ext ingu ishi ng the f ire.

6 In dec iding w het her to risk personn el F. ... a factor to consider w hen
in fire f ighting, th e Master wou ld determin ing strategy.
consider...
G. ...to achieve containment of t he fire .

H. ...the use of fi xed insta llations .

I. ... ensure the ava ilab ility of an accurate

sh ip's position for t he em ergency si g nal.

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 VIDEOTfI.: FIRE FIGHTING AT SEA

Machinery Space Fires

Are the following statements True or False?

1. This section is only of interest to the ship's engineers. T/F

2. The fire loading in the engineroom is greater than

in other parts of the ship. T/F

3. The fire risk is greater in the engineroom than in

other parts of the ship. T/F

4. Good housekeeping is the most important action to

prevent fires starting and spreading in the engineroom. T/F

5 The first consideration of the master is safety of the crew. T/F

6. The first thing the master would do in an engineroom

fire is to order a muster of the crew. T/F

7. Engineroom fires can become fully developed fires very quickly. T/F

Choose the most correct answer:

1. The first thing to do on discovering a fire caused by a fractured high pressure fuel line
is to?
A. ring the chief engineer.
B. isolate the high pressure fuel line .
C. sound the alarm.

2. Temperatures in engineroom fires may quickly rise to 600 0 ( this temperature is hot
enough to ignite?
A. aluminium.
B. iron and steel.
C. lubricating oil.

3. An engineroom fire has not responded to an initial attack with extinguishers do you?
A. escape via low-level escape routes.
B. look for hoses and foam making equipment.
C. escape via normal familiar route.

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. fixed installations should be used sooner rather than later.
B. in an fire a" adjacent bulkheads should be searched for hot spots.
C. once a fire is extinguished it is safe to leave the space unattended.

engineroom

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 V/DEOTEL: FIRf FIGHflNG AT SfA

Match the LIST 1 statements with the actions given in LIST 2

LIST 1 LIST 2
1. The best action in a scavenge fire is... A. .. .withdraw immediately if their initial

attack does not get the fire under control

2 When a fire has been extinguished ...

B. ...the sooner you may be able to

3. When undertaking maintenance... recover use of the engineroom.

4. The sooner that fixed installations are ... C. ... keep the engine running

5. With fires involving high voltage D. ...never use water spray

electricity...
E. ... keep watch over that space with

6. In an engineroom fire the initial attack firefighting equipment ready

party should have been told ...

F. ... the sooner the ship is not under

command

G ...follow the manufacturer's recommended

procedures and use the correct spare parts

and lubricants.

H. ...use water spray.

I. ... think of costs

Answers
Essential Basics
Fuel, air, heat.

2 Conduction, convection, radiation.

3 True - what is burning is vapour.

4 (a) it could melt.

(b) It could start to smoulder.
(c) It could ignite.

5 2.
6 D.
7 C.
8 A.

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 VIDEO TEL: fIRE fIGHTING AT SEA

Basic Fire Prevention

1. B. (They have the same fire load)

2. True. Mineral oil would need heating, organic oil can oxidise at room temperature.

3. Always take faulty equipment out of service.

Disconnect or isolate all equipment when not in use .

Make sure people are trained in how to use electrical equipment safely.

Ensure that appropriate safety notices are posted in all necessary languages.

Circuit breakers or trip switches should not be obstructed. They must be free to
operate and protect the circuit.

4 C.
5. You must have properly documented, written, permission - a Permit to Work - issued
by the Officer in Charge .

Ensure there is no flammable material in the area you are working in.

Suitable fire fighting appliances must be nearby and available for immediate use.
A standby man or a fire watch should always be present.

6. C.
7. A.

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 VIDEOTEL FIRIi FIGHTING AT SIiA

Basic Fire Fighting

1. Find it, Isolate it, Report it, Extinguish it or Escape

2. A. Smothering
B. Cooling
C. Fuel starvation
3. True

4. B.

5. True

6. B.

7. E. (If a dry powder extinguisher is safe to use on metal fires, it will say so on the label)

8. False. They displace oxygen making breathing impossible

9. B.

10. B.

11. True. It allows the steam to clear, improves visibility and reduces humidity

Command and Control at the Incident

1. To muster and take a roll call

2. A.

3. False. But the bridge must be told immediately of all activities being undertaken

4. False. This is extremely hazardous as the first team to engage the fire may drive heat
and steam towards the other.

5. B. Other than the duration of the wearer to withstand the effects of heat and
humidity

Command and Control by the Master

1. FALSE . The Master cannot exert command and control in an emergency unless
everyone is aware of their part in the emergency plan.

2. FALSE. If you got this wrong then read through the section again. Major decisions
such as closing ventilation or using fixed installations should only be taken after
consultation with the Master.

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 VIDEOTEe "RE ',GHr,NG Ar SEA

3. TRUE . The bridge should only be left as a last resort if the Master is receiving no
communications.

4. TRUE.

5. TRUE.

6. FALSE. He should only need to do this if the result of team musters does not come in
as rehearsed during fire drills.

7. TRUE. The bridge may have received information about the fire, the officer in charge
has not observed directly and he should be made aware of overall strategy. The officer
in charge must keep the Master fully informed of all actions and events at the fire
scene.

Answers to multiple choice questions

1. c.
2. B. If the ship was not at an angle of list but an angle of loll the other two actions
could be disastrous.

3. C. Containers have shown they can contain their fire unless they are likely to explode
or the contents may liquefy and run. 'A' may be a useful additional action .

4. Ventilation must not be completely shut off until everyone is out of the fire zone.

Answers to list matching

1. c.
2. G.

3. A.

4. F.

5. I.

6. D.

Machinery Space Fires

1. FA LSE. The same eme rg ency organ isation goes is use d w ith an engi neroom fire as any
ot her. Perh aps the Chief Eng in ee r sh oul d become t he off icer in charg e at th e fire zon e
and t here m ust be at least one en gineer in the init ial attack party.

2. FA LSE. Th ere are no ca rpets curta in s o r w ooden f urniture in the engineroom and
prov ided the oil is kept inside its p ipes an d tanks th e f ire load ing is sma ll.

3. TR UE. This is shown by statistics and ca se history, in t he engineroom there is the

uniqu e comb inat ion of f uel and heat sources.

4. TRUE. Carefu l maintenance co mes a cl ose second.

5. TRUE. But in so me ci rcumst ances th is is ti ed up w ith preservat ion of the sh ip.

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 VIDEOTEl: fIRE flGHrtNG AT SEA

6. FALSE he should only need to do this if the result of team musters does not come
in as rehearsed during fire and emergency drills.

7. TRUE

Answers to multiple choice questions

1. B - C comes a close second.

2. C. Aluminium may ignite but would probably melt and run below the fire where it is
cooler.

3. A. If you raised the alarm first the initial attack group should be arriving properly
attired to perform major fire fighting and you may be missing from the muster.

4. C.

Answers to list matching

1. C.

2. E.
3. G.

4. B. If you were tempted by action F let's think positively. F may be a consideration if the
ship is on a rocky lee shore with no chance of anchoring and no assistance available.

5. D.

6. A.

78