diesel engine maintenance and powerboat seamanship 167
- Portable fi re extinguishers. Mount all fi re extinguishers. Consider replacing
dry chemical extinguishers with CO 2 extinguishers. Dry chemical puts out
the fi re, but the fi ne powder causes irreversible damage to any electrical
equipment. CO 2 is clean and eff ective, but much more deadly because
it displaces oxygen. You must use a CO 2 portable extinguisher in a well-
ventilated compartment. Point out the location of each extinguisher to
crewmembers. Check the gauge on each bottle and replace the extinguishing
agent if the gauge reads low. To fi ght an engineroom fi re, blast the
extinguisher in short bursts into the outside engine intake vents, or try to
fi nd a crack or hole in the hatch through which to blast extinguishing agent. - Fixed extinguisher remote pull switch. If you have an installed, fi xed
extinguishing system, you must have a backup remote pull switch. Look in
the cockpit or near the helm. Most remote pull switches have cover plates
installed over the device to protect against unintentional operation. Th ey are
sometimes diffi cult to locate in the dark or in foul weather. Paint each cover
plate a bright Day-Glo color. Make simple step-by-step instructions, laminate
them, and post them next to each pull switch. Below is a sample instruction
plate.
E.S.P. for Engineroom Firefighting
E-vacuate: Evacuate all persons from the compartment.
S-eal off: Close doors, hatches, ports, and scuttles behind you.
P-ull switch: If the fire is not out within 20 seconds, operate the remote
switch. - Remote electrical panel kill switch. You must be able to shut down power
to every electrical switch and panel in a fi re. Live current feeds fi res. Clearly
mark the main breaker switch that shuts down everything aboard, including
the generator. Point it out to your crew. - Remote ventilation shutdown. Th e deadliness of a convection fi re cannot
be overstated. Superheated gases shoot through ventilation and air-
conditioning ducts, spreading fi re from one space to another. Cruise ship
fi res spread from deck to deck by this method. Install a switch that shuts
down the vessel’s air ducts and ventilation system completely. Make sure to
shut down exhaust and intake for the engine compartment. (If you keep the
intake open, you feed oxygen to the fi re; if you keep the exhaust open, you’ll
lose extinguishing agent from the compartment.) 2
How to Ventilate and Prepare for Fire Reflash
You must thoroughly ventilate any compartment aft er using any type of ex-
tinguishing agent. Immediately aft er a fi re, the extinguishing product remains
active for several minutes. Be aware that fi re can refl ash in a fraction of a second.
Prevent this by taking the following precautions.