Firefighting Procedures Aboard Small Vessels
TL;DR — When fire breaks out, immediately isolate the fire by cutting off air, fuel, and electrical supply to the affected space, then attack with the correct extinguisher class for the fuel type; never use water on electrical or flammable-liquid fires, and if the fire cannot be controlled, notify the Coast Guard and prepare to abandon ship.
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What the Rule Says
Fire Classification
Shipboard fires are classified by the type of fuel involved. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.1 establishes five classes relevant to small vessels:
- Class A — ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, fabric)
- Class B — flammable liquids and gases (gasoline, diesel, propane)
- Class C — energized electrical equipment
- Class D — combustible metals (rare on small vessels)
- Class K — cooking oils (galley fires)
The cardinal rule is to match the extinguishing agent to the fuel class. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.1
Engine Compartment Fires
Engine compartment fires are typically Class B (fuel) and Class C (electrical). The correct agents are CO₂ or dry chemical. Water must never be used in an engine compartment fire. Most inboard installations are equipped with a fixed CO₂ or aerosol suppression system that activates automatically. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.2
The Firefighting Sequence
The prescribed sequence for attacking a shipboard fire is: USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.3
1. Alert the crew. 2. Isolate the fire — close hatches and shut off ventilation. 3. Shut off fuel and electrical supply to the affected space. 4. Attack with the appropriate extinguisher. 5. Confirm the fire is extinguished. 6. Ventilate carefully to prevent re-ignition.
Regulatory Firefighting Procedures — 46 CFR §28.265
For commercial fishing vessels and similar small vessels, 46 CFR §28.265(d)(9) specifies the following firefighting steps that must appear in the vessel's emergency instructions:
1. Shut off the air supply to the fire — close hatches, ports, doors, ventilators, and similar openings. 46 CFR §28.265 2. De-energize the electrical systems supplying the affected space, if possible. 46 CFR §28.265 3. Immediately use a portable fire extinguisher, or use water for fires in ordinary combustible materials. Do not use water on electrical fires. 46 CFR §28.265 4. If the fire is in a machinery space, shut off the fuel supply and ventilation system and activate the fixed extinguishing system, if installed. 46 CFR §28.265 5. Maneuver the vessel to minimize the effect of wind on the fire. 46 CFR §28.265 6. If unable to control the fire, immediately notify the Coast Guard and other vessels in the vicinity. 46 CFR §28.265 7. Move personnel away from the fire, have them put on lifejackets, and if necessary, prepare to abandon the vessel. 46 CFR §28.265
The same sequence, worded for passenger vessels, appears in the recommended emergency instruction placard format at 46 CFR §185.512(a)(3). 46 CFR §185.512
Posting Requirements
Each vessel must have emergency instructions — including firefighting procedures — posted in conspicuous locations accessible to the crew. On a vessel operating with fewer than four individuals on board, the instructions may be kept readily available rather than posted. 46 CFR §28.265
Training and Drill Requirements
Commercial fishing vessels (46 CFR Part 28): The master or individual in charge must ensure drills are conducted and instruction is given to each individual on board at least once each month. Drills must be conducted as if there were an actual emergency and must include all individuals on board, breaking out and using emergency equipment, and testing all alarm and detection systems. Viewing a videotape satisfies the instruction requirement but does not satisfy the drill requirement. 46 CFR §28.270
Drill topics must include fighting a fire in different locations on board the vessel, donning a fireman's outfit and SCBA if the vessel is so equipped, and reporting inoperative alarm and fire detection systems. 46 CFR §28.270
No individual may conduct drills or provide instruction unless that individual has been trained in the proper procedures for conducting the activity. 46 CFR §28.270
Uninspected passenger vessels (46 CFR Part 185): The owner, charterer, master, or managing operator must instruct each crew member upon first employment, prior to getting underway for the first time on a particular vessel, and at least once every three months. 46 CFR §185.420
For vessels described by 46 CFR 175.110(c), the training program must specifically address firefighting proficiency, including: location of firefighting appliances and emergency escape routes; types and sources of ignition; flammable materials, fire hazards, and spread of fire; classification of fire and applicable extinguishing agents; and fire and smoke detection systems on board. 46 CFR §185.420
Emergency egress training must occur at least monthly for crew members employed on board and each time a crew member joins the vessel. 46 CFR §185.420
All crew training must be logged or otherwise documented for Coast Guard review. The log entry must include the date of training and a general description of the training topics. 46 CFR §185.420
Inspected vessels (46 CFR Part 199): Every crew member must participate in at least one fire drill every month. Fire drills must include reporting to stations, starting fire pumps and using two jets of water to verify the system is operational, checking firemen's outfits and personal rescue equipment, checking communications equipment, and checking watertight doors, fire doors, fire dampers, and ventilation system inlets and outlets. 46 CFR §199.180
Onboard training in the use of fire-extinguishing appliances must be given no later than two weeks after a crew member joins the vessel. 46 CFR §199.180
Details of fire drills and training must be recorded in the vessel's official logbook, including the date and time, equipment used, identification of inoperative equipment and corrective action taken, and identification of participating crew members. 46 CFR §199.180
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Why It Matters on the Exam
Exam questions on this topic test three distinct knowledge areas:
1. Fire classification and agent selection. Expect questions that present a fire scenario and ask which extinguishing agent is correct. The most commonly tested trap is the engine compartment scenario — the correct answer is CO₂ or dry chemical, never water. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.2 The prohibition on water for electrical fires also appears directly in the regulatory text. 46 CFR §28.265
2. Procedural sequence. Questions may present the firefighting steps out of order and ask which action comes first, or which step is missing. The regulatory sequence — isolate air supply, de-energize electrical, attack with extinguisher, shut fuel and activate fixed system if machinery space, maneuver vessel, notify Coast Guard, prepare to abandon — must be memorized in order. 46 CFR §28.265 USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.3
3. Training and drill frequency. The exam distinguishes between the monthly drill requirement under 46 CFR §28.270 for fishing vessels and the quarterly (every three months) crew instruction requirement under 46 CFR §185.420 for uninspected passenger vessels. Confusing these two frequencies is a common error. 46 CFR §28.270 46 CFR §185.420
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Common Pitfalls
Pitfall 1: Using water on an engine compartment fire. Water is appropriate only for Class A (ordinary combustible) fires. Engine compartment fires are Class B and C — CO₂ or dry chemical only. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.2 46 CFR §28.265
Pitfall 2: Ventilating before confirming extinguishment. The correct sequence requires confirming the fire is out before ventilating, and even then ventilation must be done carefully to prevent re-ignition. Opening hatches prematurely feeds oxygen to the fire. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.3
Pitfall 3: Confusing instruction with drills. Viewing a videotape followed by discussion satisfies the instruction requirement but does not satisfy the drill requirement. Drills must be conducted on board as if there were an actual emergency. 46 CFR §28.270
Pitfall 4: Confusing drill frequencies across vessel types. Part 28 fishing vessels require drills at least monthly. Part 185 uninspected passenger vessels require crew instruction at least every three months (quarterly), with emergency egress training monthly. Part 199 inspected vessels require fire drills monthly. Do not mix these up on the exam. 46 CFR §28.270 46 CFR §185.420 46 CFR §199.180
Pitfall 5: Forgetting to notify the Coast Guard. If the fire cannot be controlled, the regulatory requirement is to immediately notify the Coast Guard and other vessels in the vicinity — this step precedes the order to abandon ship. 46 CFR §28.265 46 CFR §185.512
Pitfall 6: Neglecting vessel maneuvering. Maneuvering the vessel to minimize the effect of wind on the fire is a required step in the regulatory sequence. Candidates often omit this from their mental checklist. 46 CFR §28.265
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Quick Check
Q1: A fire breaks out in the engine compartment of your inboard-powered vessel. Which extinguishing agent is correct, and which is prohibited?
CO₂ or dry chemical are the correct agents. Water is prohibited. Engine compartment fires are typically Class B (flammable liquid/fuel) and Class C (energized electrical); water must never be used on these fire classes. Most inboard installations have a fixed CO₂ or aerosol suppression system. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.2
Q2: List the regulatory firefighting steps in correct order as required by 46 CFR §28.265(d)(9).
1. Shut off air supply — close hatches, ports, doors, ventilators. 2. De-energize electrical systems supplying the affected space. 3. Use portable fire extinguisher or water (water for Class A only; not on electrical fires). 4. If machinery space: shut off fuel and ventilation; activate fixed extinguishing system. 5. Maneuver vessel to minimize wind effect on fire. 6. If unable to control: notify Coast Guard and other vessels. 7. Move personnel away from fire; have them don lifejackets; prepare to abandon if necessary.
Q3: Your crew watched a firefighting video and had a group discussion led by a qualified person. Does this satisfy the monthly drill requirement under 46 CFR §28.270?
No. Viewing a videotape followed by discussion satisfies the instruction requirement only. It does not satisfy the requirement for drills. Drills must be conducted on board the vessel as if there were an actual emergency, with participation by all individuals on board. 46 CFR §28.270
Q4: A galley grease fire breaks out. What fire class is this, and what does that mean for extinguisher selection?
A galley grease fire is Class K (cooking oils). The correct extinguisher class must match the fuel type. Class K fires require an agent appropriate for cooking oils — water is not appropriate. USCG Boatswain Manual Ch. 6 §6.1
Q5: How frequently must crew training on emergency procedures — including firefighting — be conducted under 46 CFR §185.420 for uninspected passenger vessels?
Crew members must be instructed upon first employment, prior to getting underway for the first time on a particular vessel, and at least once every three months thereafter. Emergency egress training must occur at least monthly and each time a crew member joins the vessel. All training must be logged with the date and a general description of topics covered. 46 CFR §185.420
Q6: At what point in the firefighting sequence should you notify the Coast Guard, and what action follows that notification?
Notify the Coast Guard and other vessels in the vicinity only if you are unable to control the fire. Following that notification, move personnel away from the fire, have them don lifejackets, and if necessary, prepare to abandon the vessel. 46 CFR §28.265 46 CFR §185.512